Black Brothers: The Horcruxes Hunt
by Maud Greyluck
Summary: What if Sirius didn't threw out Slytherin's locket but kept it and asked a certain house-elf a very important question? How fast everything can go to hell? Is blood indeed thicker than water and how far a man can go to save his child?
1. Chapter 1: Tale Telling

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or anything what you can recognize from the books. I do however own the plot of this story but I don't have profits because of it unless you count improving my English as a profit.

**Summary:** AU. What could happen if Sirius didn't threw Slytherin's locket out? How much this one thing would change everything? Is blood indeed thicker than water?

**Author's note:** It's the first chapter of my new pet project though I'm still writing 'The Blacks: Son of a Black I: Winds of Change' and the Blacks will remain my main concern but I'm going to use this one as a little distraction from the Blacks. All information is compliant with canon, mostly (all Horcruxes, Snape related stuff anyway).

**So** **_read, enjoy and review (because I love to read your criticism and as long as you are logged in or I have your email I'm answering to your questions)._**

* * *

**Black Brothers: The Horcruxes Hunt**

**Chapter one: Tale Telling.**

Something didn't sit well in him. He pulled the locket from his pocket and examined it once again. It was gold with a S etched on it. He almost chucked it out with the rest of things they found in drawing-room but something stopped him from doing the same to the locket, something akin to invisible hand squeezed around his wrist and instead of rubbish sack the locket found itself in his pocket. He didn't liked being controlled and that thing seemed to have some kind of a control over him. It was a very disturbing thought. He turned it upside down and tried to remember if he saw something similar to this locket when he was younger... He didn't, he didn't remembered anything about that locket. He was so lost in thoughts that only deliberate cough which come from the direction of the door snapped him out of his rewire. He turned his head in this direction and saw his godson and his best friend standing in the doorstep. Harry was holding a tray with food in his hands.

"Hello Harry, Hermione," he smiled at them and gestured for them to come in.

"Hello Sirius," said Harry nervously. "You weren't at the dinner so we brought you dinner here," he said after he put the tray with the food in front of him.

"Mrs Weasley decided to make us wash up our clothes which means that there would be Order meeting later on, am I right? Anyway Harry's clothes are still fresh and mine came from the wash yesterday morning so unless Mrs. Weasley wants me to wander around in underwear I have nothing to put to washing up," said Hermione as she sat down on the opposite couch.

"Quite a view it would be," Sirius snickered. "Keep in mind that you are the only one non-Weasley girl around and quite a lot of young men would like to molest attractive female who wanders around in underwear. Harry here wouldn't mind, would you Harry?" he grinned at his godson and almost burst in laugh when he saw a blush in a shade similar to Gryffindor red on Harry's face.

"Sirius!" Harry mumbled.

"Well it would be a sign that you are normal teenage boy, wouldn't it?" he asked impishly. "I mean, it doesn't really matter to me, whatever tickles your fancy, as long as you are happy, but I would feel better if I knew that my little Harry is growing up properly," he grinned upon seeing Harry hiding his face in his hands and hearing Hermione's short laugh and it sounded more like a snort but perhaps she didn't wanted to embarrass Harry even more.

"I hate you," Harry mumbled through his fingers.

"I feel so unloved," Sirius groaned agonizingly and he gave the locket last quickly look before he put it next to the tray with food and reached for the sandwich.

"What's inside that locket Sirius?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I have no idea," he said after he swallowed first bite. "I'm trying to figure it out but I feel like I had a hole in my head because I don't remember it from the time I used to live here."

"Maybe Kreacher knows something more. You could ask him," she suggested as she sat up on the couch cross legged.

"Blah," he muttered.

"You could ask him nicely and maybe he could tell you," Hermione added.

"Nicely and Kreacher doesn't belong to the same sentence," Sirius huffed before he took another bite of the sandwich.

"Oh please," Hermione huffed. "Don't act like a hypocrite! Who told us last year that we should look how people treat these who are lower than them instead of looking how they treat their equals? I remember that it was you but maybe it was your evil twin brother," she snorted.

"I don't have evil twin brother," he muttered. "I had evil, younger, but not twin brother," he huffed and he took another bite.

"Oh. What had happened to him?" Hermione asked curiously.

"He died," Harry answered for him.

"Oh," Hermione sighed. "But still you could try to ask Kreacher nicely..."

"How I'm supposed to be nice to someone who isn't nice to me?" Sirius asked after he swallowed properly.

"Maybe he would be more helpful if you tried to be nicer to him for a while," she chipped.

"Blah."

"Only for a week," Hermione pleaded. "As a test of a theory."

"Oh yeah?" Sirius snorted.

"If it fails I will leave you alone," Hermione said solemnly.

"Yeah, until you found a way to start bothering me about it again," Sirius muttered and he took a sip of pumpkin juice.

"Are you a Gryffindor?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"Of course that I'm a Gryffindor," he huffed.

"Sorry you just gave me impression that you aren't brave enough to be nice to a house-elf for a week," she said sarcastically.

"I'm brave enough to be nice to a house-elf for a week," he denied her statement feeling that he shouldn't do that, to the hell with Gryffindor bravery. His mother was right he was as hot-headed like uncle Alphard, Merlin bless his poor soul.

"Prove me that you are," Hermione challenged him.

Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn. Idiot, imbecile, flea ridden fur ball full of dog dung. He shouldn't let himself be caught like that...

"Fine," he snapped finally. "Kreacher!" he called that damned house-elf.

"Yes, Master," Kreacher said but the glare which he send at Sirius told him more than the elf would.

Take a deep breath Padfoot. Now let it out. And once again in... and out. Now you can talk to that thing.

"Kreacher do you know from where this locket came from?" he picked up the locket and showed it to the elf. He tried to be as pleasant as he could without making himself feeling sick.

"Master Regulus..." the elf chocked out and suddenly let out blood-curdling scream. "Master Regulus's locket. Master told Kreacher to destroy it but Kreacher couldn't destroy it. Couldn't finish what Master asked him too... Kreacher failed Master's orders!" the elf bellowed and threw himself in direction of the tray where there was lying a knife.

His Auror instinct kicked in and immediately the door were locked and soundproofed and the tray with the knife smashed against the opposite wall. But the lack of knife didn't stopped Kreacher from hurting himself, the elf started banging his head against the coffee table still screaming like someone tried to skin him alive.

He launched at the elf nearly flattering him. He heard Harry's gasp and Hermione's scream mingle with Kreacher's and he bellowed louder than the three of them, "Kreacher, I order you to stay still!"

He felt the elf freeze and released him. Kreacher lay flat on the cold stone floor, tears gushing from his sagging eyes.

"Sirius please, let him up!" Hermione whispered.

"So he can kill himself?" Sirius snorted, kneeling beside the elf. "No bloody likely. Right, Kreacher I want to know why you called this locket Master Regulus's. Where did it come from? What Regulus have to do with it? Kreacher, sit up and tell me everything my brother had to do with it!"

The elf sat up, curled into a ball, placed his wet face between his knees and began to rock backwards and forwards. When he spoke, his voice was muffled but quite distinct in the silent room.

"Master ran away, Master broke my mistress's heart... But Master Regulus had proper pride; he knew what was due to the name of Black and dignity of his pure blood. For years he talked of the Dark Lord, who was going to bring the wizards out of hiding to rule the Muggles and the Muggle-borns... and when he was sixteen years old, Master Regulus joined the Dark Lord. So proud, so proud, so happy to serve..." Kreacher took a deep breath.

"And one day, a year after he had joined, Master Regulus came down to the kitchen to see Kreacher, Master Regulus always liked Kreacher. And Master Regulus said... he said..."

The elf rocked faster than ever.

"... he said that the Dark Lord required an elf."

"Voldemort needed an elf?" Harry gasped from somewhere on Sirius's right.

"Oh yes," moaned Kreacher. "And Master Regulus had volunteered Kreacher. It was an honour for him and for Kreacher, who must be sure to do whatever the Dark Lord ordered him to do... and then to c-come home."

Kreacher rocked still faster, his breath coming in sobs.

"So Kreacher went to the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord did not tell Kreacher what they were to do, but took Kreacher with him to a cave beside the sea. And beyond the cave there was a cavern, and in the cavern was a great, black lake..."

Kreacher gulped.

"... there was a boat..."

The elf gripped his own ears.

"There was a b-basin full of potion on the island. The D-Dark Lord made Kreacher drink it..."

The elf quaked from head to foot.

"Kreacher drank, and as he drank, he saw terrible things... Kreacher's insides burned... Kreacher cried for Master Regulus to save him, he cried for his Mistress Black, but the Dark Lord only laughed... he made Kreacher drink all the potion... he dropped a locket... this locket," Kreacher's one hand extended just long enough to point at the locket on the coffee table. "He dropped the locket into the empty basin... he filled it with more potion. And then..." elf's voice broke down, "the Dark Lord sailed away, leaving Kreacher on the island..."

Sirius could see it happening. Voldemort, happy, pleased with himself watching trashing elf as he himself was vanishing on the other side of the lake. Suddenly for the first time in his life he pitted Kreacher, this creature made sure that his life here was living hell but he couldn't have it in himself to hate poor thing now... if he still hated him it would make him as bad as Voldemort...

Not really aware what he was doing he squeezed Kreacher's shoulder in reassuring manner.

"Kreacher needed water, he crawled to the island's edge and he drank from the black lake... and hands, dead hands, came out of the water and dragged Kreacher under the surface..."

Inferi...

"How did you get away?" Harry asked, his voice was barely a whisper.

Kreacher raised his ugly head and looked at Harry with his great, bloodshot eyes.

"Master Regulus told Kreacher to come back," he said.

"I know – but how did you escape from that lake?" Harry asked.

Kreacher cocked his head to his right and repeated, "Master Regulus told Kreacher to come back."

Sirius understood when Harry did not seem to understand and said, "I know but..."

"He disapparated, Harry," Sirius said and he wasn't surprised that his voice sounded hoarse in his own ears. "The house-elf's highest law is his master's bidding," he said and he looked down at shuddering elf. "Kreacher was told to come home..."

"... so Kreacher came home," the elf finished and started rocking backwards and forwards again.

"What had happened when you got back Kreacher?" Sirius asked as politely as he could while holding his impatience in cheek. "What did Regulus say when you told him what had happened?"

"Master Regulus was very worried, very worried," croaked Kreacher. "Master Regulus told Kreacher to stay hidden, and not to leave the house. And then... it was a little while later... Master Regulus came to find Kreacher in his cupboard one night, and Master Regulus was strange, not as he usually was, disturbed in his mind, Kreacher could tell... and he asked Kreacher to take him to the cave, the cave where Kreacher had gone with the Dark Lord..."

Sirius practically could see them. Kreacher leading Regulus to the island. Kreacher frightened and Regulus...

"And he made you drink the potion?" asked Hermione, she sounded like she tried her best to keep the disgust out of her voice but didn't exactly succeeded.

Kreacher shook his head and wept. Sirius heard Harry and Hermione gasp and something clicked in his head, like a puzzle falling into its place. No... it wasn't possible...

"M-Master Regulus took from his pocket a locket like the one the Dark Lord had," said Kreacher, tears pouring down either side of his snout-like nose. "And he told Kreacher to take it and, when the basin was empty, to switch the lockets..."

Kreacher's sobs came in great rasps now and Sirius felt panic raising inside him... It couldn't be, Regulus didn't... Did he?

"And he ordered – Kreacher to leave – without him. And he told Kreacher – to go home – and never tell my mistress or Master Orion – what he had done – but to destroy – the first locket. And he drank – all the potion – and Kreacher swapped the lockets – and watched... as Master Regulus... was dragged beneath the water and Kreacher... went home like Master Regulus asked him too..."

He felt like someone hit him straight into his stomach with beater bat, hard. He knew that Regulus was dead, he found about his death two years ago after he escaped Azkaban... but to hear... to know... to see the way his brother died... He practically could see him being dragged beneath the water and sobbing Kreacher, Kreacher who always dotted on Regulus... Kreacher witnessing death of his beloved master...

"Nothing Kreacher did made any mark upon it," moaned the elf. "Kreacher tried everything, everything he knew, but nothing, nothing would work... so many powerful spells upon the casing, Kreacher was sure the way to destroy it was to get inside it, but it would not open... Kreacher punished himself, he tried again, he punished himself, he tried again. Kreacher failed to obey orders, Kreacher could not destroy the locket! And his mistress was mad with grief, because Master Regulus had disappeared, and Kreacher could not tell her what had happened, no, because Master Regulus had f-forbidden him to tell any of the f-f-family what had happened in the c-cave... And even now Kreacher disobeyed Master Regulus's orders..."

Kreacher began to sob so hard that there were no more coherent words. Sirius glanced at Harry and Hermione, tears were flowing down their cheeks and when his free hand reached his own face to pull stray of hair behind the ear he wasn't surprised to feel the wetness on his own face.

Something broke inside him and he pulled sobbing elf into awkward hug, rubbing his hand down the back of this poor creature. How Kreacher could feel for all this years, knowing how Regulus died but not being allowed to tell anyone.

"You did everything you could to obey Regulus's orders Kreacher," Sirius whispered hoarsely. "Regulus wouldn't hold it against you that you couldn't destroy the locket."

"Master should not sacrifice himself. Master should tell Kreacher to drink the potion... Master should not die," the elf croaked.

"Master Regulus did it to keep you and mistress safe," Sirius whispered, suddenly realising why Regulus decided to sacrifice his life just like that. "If the Dark Lord found out that Regulus betrayed him mistress would be in danger... so would be the rest of the family... He wanted to keep us safe..."

"Why Master Regulus did it?" elf croaked, his voice muffled by Sirius's robes. "Why Master Regulus did not told Kreacher?"

"He probably had a change of heart," Sirius whispered. "He found out something which didn't sit well within him, something about Voldemort and since he knew that Voldemort would kill him anyway if he betrayed him openly he decided to dictate the terms of his own death... He was braver than all generations of Black before him..."

He saw Regulus in his mind, he was smiling at him and snickering something about 'house misplaced piece of dung'. He vowed to himself that he would do everything to destroy the damned locket. Regulus sacrificed his own life for that thing and his sacrifice shouldn't be in vain.

"I swear that I will do everything in my power to destroy that locket. I won't let Regulus's death be in vain. Not now," he whispered more to himself than to Kreacher or Harry and Hermione.

* * *

Sirius begged Harry and Hermione to let what had happened be their secret until they find out what was inside the locket and how to destroy it. They reluctantly agreed to keep what had happened in that room between themselves only. Ron or Ginny or the twins weren't allowed to know. When Hermione voiced her doubts Sirius told her that he owed Regulus at least one try at destroying the locket and he promised that if that try fails he will tell Dumbledore about the locket. Harry and Hermione agreed under one condition, they would be allowed to help Sirius. Sirius agreed on their term, albeit wasn't very happy about it and he managed to removed Harry and Hermione from regular cleaning around the house by telling Mrs. Weasley that they were going to help him the library. Upon seeing crestfallen look on Ron's face he added something about big spiders about half in the size of Kreacher. Ginny was harder to get lost but she changed her mind about helping them when Sirius muttered something about going through old diaries.

Harry and Hermione were amazed by the size of the library. It was huge room and the bookshelves – which were reaching the ceiling – were occupying almost entire space, it seemed that one of Sirius's ancestor was quite obsessed with books.

"Most of them belonged to my father," Sirius said as he went to draw the curtains and let weak light into the library. "Kreacher," he called the house-elf.

Kreacher appeared in front of him immediately, he bowed to Sirius and looked at him expectantly.

"Yes, Master. What Master wants Kreacher to do?"

"Could you wash the windows here after we leave the room today? This room could have a bit more light coming in through the windows. I have no idea why Phineas Nigellus wanted to have library in the room with windows to the north. For now Kreacher could you bring us two or three chandeliers?"

The elf bowed again before he asked, "Would Master Sirius and his..." the elf looked like he tried to find a proper word and he seemed to find one because he finished, "guest want something to drink?"

"We just ate breakfast," Sirius said but upon seeing that the elf's mouth twitched he added quickly. "But you can bring us three bottles of pumpkin juice if you want."

The elf bowed again and disappeared.

"Phew, that was close," Sirius sighed.

"Four words Sirius," said Hermione and she picked up the nearest book.

"I know. I know. I told you so," Sirius snorted. "Lets have a look at Dark Arts books. I'm sure that there is something dark inside that locket and 'Useful tips in maintaining the garden' won't be helping us very much Hermione," he said briskly and went to the desk which stood in the middle of the library.

They went through book after book looking for anything which mentioned things which had high resistance to magic and by the time Kreacher brought them lunch, French onion soup with small toasts, they were so irritated that Sirius started whacking his head with 'Ten Good Ways of Cursing Your Next Door Neighbour into Oblivion Without Him Knowing'. Kreacher upon seeing what Sirius was doing picked it up from Sirius hand, whacked it across Sirius head lightly and said.

"Master needs to be coherent. Kreacher brought lunch and Kreacher is going to clean up Master's bathroom why Master eats. Kreacher hopes that Master and his guest will like it," the elf said giving a bow and disappeared leaving surprised Sirius behind.

"Told you so," Hermione muttered as she reached for the toast and took a bite. "It's delicious," she said.

"Did I ever told you that you are the smartest witch I ever knew?" asked still surprised Sirius.

Harry smiled to himself. Despite the work they had to do it was nice to spend so much time with Sirius. Hermione was delighted about the being in as big library as this one and Harry himself found few useful books which he put on the side to check better some time later.

They eat in comfortable silence, enjoying Kreacher's soup, which was one of the tastiest Harry ever ate. Suddenly Kreacher appeared and he bowed to Sirius.

"Master's bathroom is clean, Kreacher put Master's bed covers into washing up too. Master's werewolf is looking for Master and Kreacher told him that Master is in the library. Does Master needs anything?" Kreacher asked.

"Thank you Kreacher but I don't need anything. Harry, Hermione do you need something?" Sirius turned to Harry and Hermione.

"More ink and few sheets of clean parchment," said Hermione as she examined sheets of parchment scattered around her.

"Something to drink, pumpkin juice or butterbeer," Harry answered.

Sirius nodded at the elf. Kreacher disappeared in the exact moment Lupin walked through the door.

"Hello Sirius, Harry, Hermione," he said with small smile.

"Hello Master's werewolf," Sirius snickered at Lupin.

"What?" Lupin asked surprised.

"Never mind. What's up Moony my dear old friend?" Sirius asked and he waved at the books which were laying on the couch to come back to their shelves.

"Molly told me that you kidnapped Harry and Hermione and locked them up in the library for Merlin only knows what kind of a reason. I was only checking if she wasn't overreacting," Lupin said as he sat down.

"Do you see them complaining Moony?" Sirius gestured at Harry and Hermione who were sitting close to the desk with books scattered around them. "I simply gave them a choice, they can help Molly and the rest with cleaning out the drawing-room risking being bitten by Doxy or helping me in my small personal business which requires spending some time in the library."

"What kind of business it is Sirius?" Lupin looked a bit alarmed.

"Personal. Unfinished. Seems quite important and while I need a helping hand with it I don't need whole Order to breath into my neck since my helping hands and me are getting along just fine," Sirius said briskly.

"What he is making you do?" Lupin turned to face Harry and Hermione.

"Reading," said Hermione quickly.

"Flipping through the books looking for information," Harry supplied.

"What kind of information?" Lupin asked.

"How to skin off a werewolf without him knowing that he is being skinned off," Sirius quickly answered and he started ushering Lupin out from the library.

"Sirius if you are doing something dangerous..." Lupin started, his tone indicated a warning.

"I know, I know. If I'm doing something which can endanger them you are going to neutralize me while I'm still in my human form, I know Moony. Don't you have something very, very important to do now?" Sirius almost pushed Lupin through the door.

"If you..." Lupin started but Sirius cut him off quickly.

"If I will need your help I will ask for it. Bye, see you next time," Sirius said and closed the door right in front of Lupin's nose. "Phew that was close."

"You could ask him to help us. I mean he wasn't our Defence Against Dark Arts professor for nothing," said Hermione with small grimace.

"I could ask him," Sirius agreed. "But I know Remus and I know if I will tell him now he won't bugger off till I tell Dumbledore and for once I want to have something to do which isn't cleaning. Besides its personal matter and I will call Dumbledore when I will decide that it's too much for me alone to comprehend. For now I will say that we are doing just fine," he said and sat down at the desk.

Harry and Hermione were flipping through next few books while Sirius was throwing hex after hex at the locket in the corner of the library, from time to time he was adding something to the piece of parchment he kept in his pocket. Dinner was approaching quickly and they still didn't had anything, not even a small hint.

Harry was staring blankly at a page in one of the books, he realised that he didn't turned it for last fifteen minutes. What was inside the locket? Why Voldemort wanted it to stay hidden? Why Regulus wanted to destroy it? What could happen if it was destroyed?

"I feel that I will smash something if I don't stop reading for a while," Sirius muttered somewhere on Harry's left.

"I feel the same," Hermione agreed with Sirius. "My head starts to ache. Too much reading for a while."

"Me too," Harry mumbled.

"I was thinking that we should check Regulus's bedroom. Maybe we can find something useful here," Sirius sighed.

"Didn't you checked it earlier?" Hermione asked.

"I did when I looked for Ministry of Magic: A History at the beginning of the summer," Sirius answered.

"Why?" Harry asked curiously as he looked at Sirius who was sitting at the desk quill in his left hand.

"Because I'm too old for kids stories and Ministry of Magic: A History is one of the most boring books I ever knew and consider that I read quite a lot so I know what I'm talking about," Sirius answered. He stood up and asked, "Are you going with me to check his room?"

"Sure," said Harry.

"Why not?" answered Hermione.

Sirius lead them up the stairs to the topmost landing, where there were only two doors. The one facing them bore a nameplate reading Sirius and Harry glanced at Sirius who went immediately to the other door.

Harry heard Sirius whisper, "Alohomora." There was a click and the other door swung open.

They entered the room together, gazing around. Regulus's bedroom was far more bigger than Harry's and Ron's and quite spacious. There was a large bed with a carved wooden headboard, a tall window obscure by long velvet curtains and a chandelier thickly coated in dust, with candle stubs still resting in its sockets, solid wax hanging in frost-like drips. Whole room had very Slytherin decor, colours of emerald and silver were everywhere, on the bed, the walls and the windows. The Black family crest was painted over the bed, along with its motto, Toujours Pur. Beneath this was a collection of yellow newspaper cuttings, all stuck together. Hermione crossed the room to examine them.

"They're all about Voldemort," she said.

Harry's eyes drifted towards a photograph on the wall; a Hogwarts Quidditch team was smiling and waving out of the frame. He moved closer and saw the snakes emblazoned on their chests: Slytherins. He recognised Regulus as the boy sitting in the middle of the front row: Harry immediately recognised the same dark hair and slightly haughty look on Regulus as something he and his older brother had in common, though Regulus was smaller, slighter and a bit less handsome than Sirius when he was his age.

"He played Seeker," said Harry.

"What?" asked Hermione.

"He's sitting in the middle of the front row, that's where the Seeker... never mind," Harry sighed, realising that Hermione was more fascinated by Voldemort's press clippings while Sirius was rummaging through the desk.

"He was," Sirius muttered, he was still bending over the desk drawers. "A bloody good one on that. Take it from someone who made sure that he had to be fast like someone who had a herd of pissed off dragons chasing after him. I owe him a broken nose."

"Huh?" Harry breathed out.

"I was chasing him around the pitch and kept sending bludger after bludger behind him. I have to handle him that he was quick and managed to escape the bludgers. I wanted to chase him and throw him from the broom, or at least confuse him long enough to let our Seeker get the snitch. Guess what he had done?"

"What he had done?" asked Harry curiously.

"He kept flying ahead with the top speed and suddenly he pulled a faint. Since I was chasing after him, I flew as fast as he did and I didn't managed to duck before I knocked James from the broom. Considering that we were quiet high imagine how much meeting with the earth could hurt. And you know what he did later? He had a nerve to come later to Hospital wing and tell me that it was my bloody fault that Gryffindor lost that match because if I paid equal attention to all players instead of him we actually had a chance to win," Sirius snorted.

"Well he was right," Hermione admitted as she turned to face them.

"I knew that he was," Sirius snorted. "Gryffindor and Slytherin always had equally matched Quidditch teams. We had great Chasers while Slytherin's Chasers were lousy. We had the best Seeker Gryffindor could produce around that time and he worked quite good in matches against Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff but when it came to playing against Slytherin... all captains of Gryffindor Quidditch team with whom I played had one and simple tactic 'make sure that Regulus Black can't catch the snitch'. If it required knocking him from the broom then he was knocked from the broom, if it required name calling then there was name calling. Worked for about a year and when he figured out that he is the only real target in Quidditch team he got smarter, faster and more daring with movements on the broom."

"I'm sure that watching a match between him and Harry would be quite good to watch," Hermione said.

"If they were on the same type of a broom... yeah it would be funny thing to watch," Sirius admitted. "Nothing. Though I never knew that he wrote poetry..."

"Come to think about it Sirius... If you were him would you put something which could raise suspicions somewhere inside the house?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"Not in place everyone could walk in," Sirius muttered. "Somewhere where he could hide it safely... I'm sure that our dear mother searched through his things, if she didn't then my name isn't Sirius Black. Where could be a place which could be searched thoroughly but as a hiding place wouldn't raise too much suspicions..."

"The kitchen?" Harry supplied.

"Now... Something more... more Regulus... Our father's study..." Sirius muttered.

"Let's go there," Hermione said quickly.

"We can't... I don't know the password... I knew old password but since I left it could be changed hundred times," Sirius said.

"We can at least try to open it Sirius," said Harry.

"We can try," Sirius agreed.

They never reached the study, they even didn't reached the door to the library because on the second floor they ran into Mrs. Weasley who ushered whole three into the kitchen.

"Harry and Hermione are going to help the rest with cleaning the dining room on the ground floor," she said as she put plates full of stew before them.

Harry and Hermione started eating immediately while Sirius didn't even moved his hand in the direction of the spoon.

"Actually I was hoping that they were going to help me in the library. I'll need to go through some family stuff since my father had very annoying habit of hiding important papers in weird places instead of leaving it at Gringotts," Sirius said calmly.

"You can do it on your own," Mrs Weasley said coldly.

"Of course that I can do it on my own but it isn't the point," Sirius shrugged. "My point is that I need to go through it anyway and since I'm planning to get my last will and testament up to date I will rather made it sure that my heir knows what he is getting before I die... not that I plan to die anytime soon."

"Your heir?" Mrs Weasley asked surprised.

"It's a bit complicated," said Sirius lazily. "I have to find a way around this stupid traditional decree which says that the house has to be handed down the direct line, to the next male with the name of Black. Since I'm last of the line because my brother predeceased me and both of us didn't have children it would require quite a lot of dancing around it."

"Why do you need Harry and Hermione for that?" asked Ron suddenly.

"Because Harry is my heir and Hermione told me that she is interested in wizarding laws. For both it should be valuable lesson about law and things you need to take care of in everyday life. Harry, Hermione if you will be feeling up to it I'll be in the library at seven o'clock in the morning. Now if you excuse me I need to go to sleep," Sirius said, stood up from the table and left the kitchen without eating what Mrs Weasley put on the plate before him.

Harry and Hermione excused themselves from the table few minutes after Sirius left the table and agreed that they should go to bed now, to avoid unwanted questions and resting before tomorrow morning.

Harry woke up very early and a quick at the sky, which had the colour of clear blue of watered ink, indicating that it was somewhere between night and dawn. He turned on the bed and for few minutes tried to fall asleep again but he couldn't. For most of the time he didn't remembered about his hearing, he was too occupied to worry about it but when he was alone with nothing to do his imagination started running wild. After imaging escape from Ministry of Magic after the hearing which turned to be fatal he decided that he couldn't sleep and stood up from his bed. Carefully to not wake Ron who was sleeping on the other bed Harry picked up his dressing down and left the room.

The corridor didn't looked very nice in the daylight and now it looked like a tube with no end. He slowly approached the staircase and carefully started climbing down to the kitchen. Upon reaching the landing on the first floor he walked into someone. For few seconds they stared in each other eyes and when Harry decided that he walked into Hermione and Hermione decided that it was Harry who walked into her they smiled at each other nervously and went down to the kitchen together.

When they entered the kitchen for a second they couldn't decide if they entered not the right room. Every surface now shone: copper pots and pans had been burnished to a rosy glow, the wooden table top gleamed in the faint light of small fire coming from the fireplace. Nothing in the room, however, was more dramatically different than the house-elf who was sitting on one of the chairs and was polishing silverware. He was humming something merrily as he was polishing. When he saw Harry and Hermione he put away the knife he was polishing, jumped from the chair and approached them asking in hoarse voice, "What master's guest want Kreacher to get them?"

"Just a cup of cocoa," said Hermione quietly.

"The same Kreacher," said Harry.

"Master is in library. Reading. He looks disturbed and does not want to go to sleep," said Kreacher as he sat them down at the table.

"He is probably thinking how to destroy the locket," answered Harry and when the elf put two cups of steaming cocoa in front of them he added, "Thank you Kreacher."

"What in the name of Merlin it could be," Sirius's mutterings were heard on the stairs and moments later he entered the kitchen. Upon seeing Harry and Hermione he gave them gentle smile and greeted them with small nod.

"Perhaps if you spent few hours at sleeping you will have clear head to find correct approach to how to destroy the locket," suggested Hermione.

"I spent few hours at sleeping Hermione," Sirius said with heavy sigh.

"Still nothing new?" asked Harry.

"Still," Sirius muttered as he pulled out the locket from his pocket and examined it. "It would made me feel better if we at least could open it."

What Harry did was stupid, he realised it later, but then it occurred him that if that thing belonged to Voldemort then Voldemort could use Parseltongue to open and close that thing and he said, "Open."

The word came as a hiss and a snarl and the golden doors of the locket swung wide with a little click.

"I have seen your heart, and it is mine Sirius Orion Black," hissed the voice from inside the locket. "I have seen your fears... You fear your own heart... You fear to claim what is rightfully yours... You fear stepping in the shoes which were made for you... You were the one who had been called father... You were the one entrusted with the care..."

Suddenly something started coming out from the locket. Something which looked like a figure of old lady blossomed out of the locket, first head, then chest, then waist, then legs until it stood in the locket.

"You could have everything Sirius. You could have everything. Older, wiser, smarter, quicker, more handsome than Regulus ever was... He always envied you your status... You were the heir... You were our hope..." said the figure which looked like Mrs Black.

Harry glanced through the figure at Sirius. He was staring at the figure mesmerized by what was happening.

"How many times after you left... after my dearest Aunt, and her worthless husband, who took you as their own, died, in the black night you wished that you were more like Regulus... How many nights you spent after your friends went to their homes while you were living in second rate hotel... dying from hunger that you were more like your brother..."

Sirius was shuddering yet he was staring, transfixed by the figure which suddenly changed from his mother into... Harry's father.

"How many sleepless nights you spent thinking and thinking how much of both of you is in him. His pride, your nerve. His Seeker talent, your courage... His posture, your spirit... Stubbornness of both of you... the way you dive into troubles headfirst. You so desperately want to hear this words from him... not hearing them kills you... But you know deep inside know that you are a failure... failure of a son who broke his mother's heart, who could not save his father in time, who did not helped brother you loved so much... You failed Regulus most of all... if you were quicker and less proud you could have save him in time... You have your brother's blood on your hand Sirius..." the voice said.

Something silver flashed in the air, plunged: Harry and Hermione fell from their chairs. There was a clang of metal and a long, drawn-out scream.

The weird version of Harry's father was gone: there was only Sirius, standing there, looking down at the locket from which silver knife was standing. Sirius was pale as a ghost and his eyes were misty, down his cheeks two silver tears were falling. Suddenly he sunk to his knees, his head in his arms, he was shaking, but he couldn't be shaking because of cold since the kitchen was quite warm.

Harry and Hermione immediately bolted in Sirius's direction, Harry grabbed the broken locket into the pocket of his dressing gown. He knelt down beside Sirius not really knowing what to do besides hugging shaking man. Hermione who knelt on the other side of Sirius did the same. Suddenly there was loud crack and they weren't sitting on the kitchen floor but on the bed in a big room.

"Master needs rest. Master's guests will watch Master while Kreacher will go to find something to calm Master down," said Kreacher and with another crack he was gone.

"Sirius," Harry whispered.

"It was right... Molly was right... I'm a failure... I couldn't save Lily and James, I thrust their lives in Voldemort's hands... I couldn't protect you... I couldn't save my father... he died in drunken brawl and I couldn't do anything to save him... I couldn't save my brother... I couldn't save you... I vowed to protect you and time after time I failed you. I'm the most pathetic excuse of godfather this world ever seen," Sirius sobbed.

Harry didn't knew what to do. Sirius was breaking down in front of him and he didn't knew what to do expect holding tightly on him and rubbing his back with his free hand.

There was another crack and Kreacher appeared, a tray with a bottle full of Firewhiskey and three goblets. He set the tray on the bed and poured Firewhiskey into one goblet, when the goblet was nearly full the elf nudged Sirius and handed him the goblet. Sirius drunk the contests in two gulps, when the goblet was empty Kreacher refilled it. Sirius drunk the second goblet of Firewhiskey and fell flat on his back, eyes closed, his breath shallower.

"Drink this," Kreacher handed Harry and Hermione remaining two goblets. "It will calm you down."

"Or send us to sleep," mumbled Hermione eying the liquor.

"No, Master's second goblet had two drops of sleeping potion. Master should sleep till morning. Master Sirius destroyed the evil locket like Master Regulus wanted Kreacher to destroy it," said Kreacher and he quickly covered Sirius with a blanket.

* * *

Harry didn't knew what was in the locket but whatever it was it shook Sirius to the core. He was so worried about Sirius that he decided to spend the next few hours at Sirius's side. Hermione after a moment of hesitation decided to stay with him.

"I can't lose him," Harry whispered as he light squeezed Sirius's hand.

"You won't," Hermione tried to reassure him as she squeezed his shoulder.

"I hope so," Harry whispered.

The sky outside was growing brighter with passing time. Harry didn't had other thing to do than watching Sirius's face. There were lines on Sirius's face, and yet Harry could see the haughtiness, some kind of careless elegance which had to be there when Sirius was younger. The lines reminded Harry how much Sirius had been through all these years, Azkaban, then living on the run and now here. Sirius for sure didn't had an easy life and now because of his, Harry's stupidity he was reduced into nervous wreck.

"Children breakfast!" Mrs Weasley called from downstairs at some point of time.

"We need to get down Harry," said Hermione suddenly.

"I don't want to leave him Hermione... if it wasn't for me and my stupidity..." Harry started.

"You did what you thought was right," Hermione cut him off quickly.

"It could kill Sirius," Harry whispered. "Look how it already ended."

"Sirius is going to be fine Harry. He needs few hours of rest and he will be better. He wouldn't want you to worry like that. Plus I know for sure that he wouldn't want you to miss breakfast because of him."

* * *

**Awaiting criticism - like always. I'm replying as long as you leave me your email or you log in while reviewing. Bring my ego down ;)  
**


	2. Chapter 2: Past Continuous, Present Not

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or anything what you can recognize from the books. I do however own the plot of this story but I don't have profits because of it unless you count improving my English as a profit.

* * *

**Chapter two: Past Continuous, Present Not Simple.**

Blood on his hands, not his, he doesn't feels like it's his blood. Mirzam Verascez, his Auror partner is dragging him through Diagon Alley, she is practically carrying him away. He screams and tries to get away. He remembers a slap across his face followed a goblet of Firewhiskey handed into his blood covered hands. He remembers washing the blood down, the way it dripped to the sink from his hands. His father's blood, blood of a Black, his blood.

It's October and his mother is standing at the graveyard, two mahogany coffins in front of her, behind his mother stands Auntie Lucretia, her husband Ignatius, Uncle Cygnus and Aunt Druella, Bellatrix and Rudolphus, Narcissa and Lucius, grandfathers Pollux and Arcturus with grandmothers Melania and Irma, even great aunt Cassiopeia are there too. Today is the funeral of Orion Sirius and Regulus Arcturus Black but only one coffin contains body... Regulus's body had never been found.

He watches the funeral from the distance... Ashes to ashes, dust to dust... from it you rose to it you will come... It's too fucking early... Regulus was not even eighteen, barely graduated from Hogwarts... father... he was only fifty, too young to die... to die like that... like a drunk man, on the street... blood on his hands. He washed his hands since his father had died at least hundred times but he still feels like his father's blood remained on his hands ... _Be still my heart... they denied you as much as you denied them... _

No son of mine will be in Gryffindor... no son of mine would have this evil Muggle device... no son of mine would befriend Mudbloods and blood traitors... You are no son of mine. You are no son of mine. You are no son of mine... _No... son... of... mine... No son of mine._

Why you aren't more like Regulus?

You are not a brother of mine. My brother would not run away like a beaten mongrel... My brother would not ask me to run away with him... and different one... You are not brother of mine. My brother wouldn't close the door in front of me... Regulus... he dies in front of him and he is helpless, he watches Inferi dragging his brother beneath the surface... Regulus's brown eyes watching him sadly... Brown eyes... just a shade lighter than James's eyes were... James...

James... lying in front of him, dead... cold... _too young to die_... James's whose little son... Harry, his little Harry... taken away from him... Harry who had been taken away from him, carried away by a Portkey to Merlin only knows where... Harry who witnessed so much... Harry who is the closest thing he has for a son... but Harry is not his son... Harry is his son... James wasn't there to raise him... _neither were you... you were rotting in Azkaban_... But Harry is his son... his to take care of, his to listen stories, his to love, his to teach about life... _His son... his little son who grew up so quickly, so quickly, too quickly, too soon, too early... _Must not think... Harry is James's. Harry... James... James... James... James... James is Harry... Harry is James... Must think ... Harry ... James... Must not show... Harry James... Lily... Remus... Regulus... dad... no... McKinnons... so many... so many... too many... too soon... too early...

He wants to scream, to run away, to warn people whom he watches enter houses from which they do not come out again... It's like being trapped in a fucking nightmare from which he can't wake up... People are dying in front of him... Uncountable faces... screams of agony hanging in the air... Scenes shift in front of his eyes... Death Eaters ambush in St. Ives... Mirzam Verascez and Tracy O'Maley lying unconscious in pools of blood... Hadrian Sheeperman with one leg missing... Gregory Hope begging him to tell his wife that he always loved her and her only... his own bruises and gashes... he remembers that support came quickly... five minutes after the attack... but now support doesn't comes... They are dying one after the other until only he is left... Green light hits him squarely in the chest and he is falling down... falling... falling...

* * *

The night had passed and the dawn came and went. The noise which was coming from downstairs indicated that the Weasleys started waking up. But Sirius didn't woke up yet.

"We should come downstairs, Harry," said Hermione gently. "Maybe he will wake up in few hours, he looks drained."

Harry nodded slowly and with a heavy sigh he stood up. But Sirius was looking so vulnerable, so thin, so sick, so fragile. It took Hermione's gentle grip on his left arm to get him away from Sirius' room.

"Let's not tell them, yet," Harry asked her quietly.

"Okay," she replied gently.

They came downstairs in their dressing gowns. Mrs Weasley handed them two big plates full of toasts and two big mugs of tea. She was so irritatingly cheerful that Harry wanted to scream at her for being so ignorant, so cheerful when his godfather was upstairs, unconscious, sick.

"He is still holding you in the library?" Mrs Weasley asked suddenly.

"Yeah," Harry muttered.

"You don't sound so eager, Harry dear," said Mrs Weasley sympathetically.

"I slept badly," Harry replied shortly and looked at his plate with disgust. Suddenly he wasn't hungry anymore. "I'm going to the bathroom," he announced and left the kitchen hastily.

He took a long shower and then he came back to Sirius' bedroom. Sirius didn't woke up, yet. Harry sat down at the middle of Sirius' bed and watched slowly rise and fall of his chest. He didn't knew how much time passed before the door opened and Hermione walked in, she was holding a tray with a plate full of sandwiches and three goblets.

"Still sleeping?" she asked gently.

Harry nodded slowly.

"I thought that you should eat something, you barely touched your breakfast," she said and she set the tray on the bedside table in front of Harry.

"I don't feel like eating, Hermione," he whispered and grasped Sirius' left, pale hand.

"I think that you should eat something Harry, I don't think that Sirius would want to wake up only to find you passed out from hunger," she pointed out.

"If he wakes up," Harry whispered.

"Don't say that," Hermione scolded him. "He will wake up, Harry. Just give him some time to recover," she added more gently and she squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

He heard her moving away from the bed and moving the chair away from the desk but his eyes even for a moment didn't left Sirius' unconscious body. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder and he finally looked up at Hermione. In her right hand she was holding a stack of parchment. He looked at her questioningly.

"They are all yours," she said gently.

He took the letters from her hand and stared at them. On the top of the stack was his first letter he wrote to Sirius.

"He kept them all," he whispered and he traced his left forefinger through the parchment.

"You mean everything to him. There is something else I found," she said and then she handed him a leather covered book. "His diary from seventh year at Hogwarts."

"Diary," Harry whispered.

He felt like an intruder when he opened the book on the first page. They were Sirius' private thoughts, he had no right to read them but he felt unyielding need to get to know his godfather. He just realised that aside from what he learned in drawing-room he didn't knew his godfather very well.

_2__nd__ September 1977 (Friday)_

_Remus bet me and James that we would never get a date with our fixations. We have a month to do something or then we are owing Moony ten galleons, each._

_Evans passed next to us before Charms. Wall – one, James – zero. Hexed Goldstain into next week, he was eyeing Verascez's bum … not that she doesn't have a cute bum because she does but no one eyes my girl and lives to tell the tale. Argh…_

_Here be logic: she is not your girlfriend dunderhead and nothing indicates that she ever will be._

_Ah our little delusions… someday you will go on a date with me Verascez if not then my name is Hoppy the Happy Hippopotamus damn it._

_12__th__ September (Monday)_

_Hiding at Astronomy Tower after escaping James' clutches. I swear that Prongs is a sadist. Hence that Evans doesn't want him, it doesn't matter. What matters is that Mr Horny Bastard (I so wanted to write it down since he became a Head Boy) suffers greatly and that someone has to listen to his moaning and groaning about his perfect Tiger, Flower … whatever … Lily Evans. And since Moony is sitting with Wormy in Care of Magical Creatures right now who is better to moan and groan to than dear old Padfoot. I love this guy like a second brother but right now I'm about an inch away from hexing Prongs into next millennium._

_Hello! I'm trying to find a way to woo a girl here (between finishing homework for Slughorn). The last thing I need right now is doodling Mirzam Verascez all over my Potion essays. I just can see the grade: 'Troll. Not very eloquent Mr Black, I expected something better from someone who after graduation wants to be an auror'._

_She is sitting there – doesn't see me if she did she would run away faster than one can say Quidditch. Merlin she is so beautiful. I don't get what James sees in red-heads, brunets are far more hotter. And Mirzam, unlike Evans plays Quidditch. Merlin why she had to get sorted into Ravenclaw – grr… if she was in Gryffindor we could have the best team at Hogwarts._

_One word Black: pathetic._

_13__th__ September (Tuesday)_

_I love McGonagall – that's official. Our dear professor Kitty decided that for the sake of the lesson James is going to sit with Snivellus whereas I'm going to sit with Mirzam Verascez. Oh, my dearest violet-eyed inspiration you don't know that I'm going to chase the dark wizards __for you__ with you._

_Later:_

_James dragged me to Madam Pomfrey because I told him to bugger off when he started making plans of fixing Snivellus with Gryffindor colours for the rest of the week. On a different note: my dearest star has a headache. On completely different note: I have Padfoot's tail right now because my dearest violet-eyed star hexed me with Animagi Inspiration Spell after I suggested that massage can help the headache and offered myself as help. It can't get off – I don't care, I'm going to wear it proudly till it goes off on its own, my star give it to me._

_Yes, I'm a lovesick fool._

_15__th__ September (Thursday)_

_I still have a tail – Prongs got his antlers – well thank you Evans, your temper is as fiery as your hair. _

_19__th__ September (Monday)_

_Am I a man-whore?_

_Stacy Reads from … was it Hufflepuff … came around and kissed me. Why that hag had to pick up the moment when I was making civilised conversation with Mirzam? After she left my violet-eyed star told me that's exactly why she will never go out with me. I'm a man-whore._

_Man-whore (noun) a man who will shag everything which doesn't have a dick._

_Sirius Orion (I hate you dad) Black alias Son Of a Bitch, a man who has more decency than JCP because when he, SOB, proclaimed undying love to one MMV decided to not shag anything which isn't MMV unlike JCP when he proclaimed his undying love to LRE and had been found with his pants around his ankles with FDH in his sixth year in a broom closet by LRE herself._

Then Harry flipped about twenty pages and settled on a completely different day:

_14__th__ February 1980 (I don't give a damn what a day it is)_

_Been at Prongs place – sickeningly happy couple with a boy along their way. A boy… a son… Merlin help the kid if James threat become truth. If I were the kid and had my father named me Puddlemere United then I would murder said daddy on the first occasion._

_Besides that I hate Valentines. Melvin 'Fucking' Prewett keeps me away from the case. She is my partner, my girlfriend, my fiancée, my betrothed and she is having my son. How dare your lot expect me to wait for a miracle! I want her back. I can't stand looking at James and Lily's growing belly, with their child. I can't stand their happiness when my happiness had been taken away from me._

_1__st__ August 1980 (Friday – or someone said it was Friday)_

_I've been at the graveyard in Canterbury. I lied a bouquet of violet irises and light a candle._

_Mirzam Verascez, born 13 February 1960, died 13 April 1980_

_It's a damn fluke, it's just a grave, a coffin. There is no body inside it. They claimed her dead but part of me tells me that she isn't dead. I will never believe that she is dead until I see her real body…_

_James' son was born yesterday, his name is Harry James Potter, he has Lily's eyes. They want me to be his godfather when all I can think about is my little son whom I didn't had a chance to hold in my arms._

_When I held the kid in my arms for a moment I thought that anything which had happened in last few months didn't took place and that I was at the Hospital with my girl and the child in my arms was my son. My son._

_I never told James that I was going to be a father too. I never told anyone. We wanted to tell the rest after Mirzam's birthday but she was kidnapped three days before it. That's why when I'm with James and Lily I have to put my happiest smile and pretend that I'm fine and reveal not that with everyday a little bit of me is dying inside… _

_13__th__ September 1981 (Sunday)_

_I baby-sat little Harry when James and Lily were at Hogwarts, talking with Dumbledore. He called me, dad… I cried until I put him to his crib and fell asleep on the floor next to it. Why I didn't had a chance to hear my son speak this words to me?_

_Now __I'm finally ready to write it down: I have a vial of Frasier's Poison at my flat, in my bedside table. I take it out every night before I go to sleep and stare at it until I fall asleep. I put it back in the bedside table every morning after I wake up. I don't have balls to do it. Today after I came back from the Potters I poured the contest of the vial into the toilet. Despite everything I still have something to live for, the person who is too young to understand it now but maybe someday he will… _

_Harry, someday when you will read this, know one thing little tyke, you saved your godfather's life. I love you like a son I never had a chance to have and probably never will since there is only one woman who could be the mother of my child and she is dead or as good as. I love you with all my heart Harry. Your godfather, Sirius._

Harry blinked and then he realised that he was crying.

"Harry," said Hermione gently and she squeezed his shoulder.

"Read the last two entries," he whispered and he showed the book to her before he hid his face in his hands.

It was unfair, really unfair that Sirius had his girlfriend and child taken away from him. Was it why he could go through any lengths to be at Harry's side? Because he poured all his love he had for his unborn child into Harry. Was Harry to him a constant, painful reminder of what he could have?

Maybe that's why he was projecting James on him. Because between deluding himself between projecting his lost child and dead friend the later hurt Sirius less. Sirius' life wasn't easy from the start from what Harry heard and later he came through bumpy road to his happiness only to have it snatched away when he last expected it, then came Pettigrew's betrayal, Harry's parents deaths and twelve years in Azkaban … and in the end when everything seemed to be straightening out, when Harry believed him he had his freedom snatched away from him. A lesser man would break down, but Sirius didn't broke down, until yesterday.

Harry grabbed Sirius' right hand and pressed it to his lips.

"Oh, Harry," Hermione whispered and he felt her hugging him tightly.

"It's not fair," Harry whispered. "Why he had to suffer like that?"

"I don't know," Hermione whispered.

"I want to make it better but I only destroy everything I touch. If it wasn't for me…" Harry whispered.

"If it wasn't for you, Harry, Sirius would be still in Azkaban. If it wasn't for you he would go mad there or be dead by now," she said gently. "He broke out from Azkaban because he thought that you were in danger. He threw everything away and run across the world because he wanted to be at your side. And when you were attacked by Dementors he had bitten Fred because he was in his way between the front door and it took Lupin and Tonks to restrain him from running to your side," she added fiercely. "You mean everything to him."

"I'm a constant reminder of what he had lost, his friends, his family.…" Harry whispered and he hugged her tightly.

"You are what keeps him from breaking down," she said.

"Not well enough," Harry whispered. "Not well enough."

Suddenly Mrs Weasley's voice carried through the house. They were supposed to get down for lunch. They went, thinking that maybe someone who can help Sirius will be down there.

To say that they were surprised upon seeing newcomer was a little understatement. The man seemed to be tall and quite skinny. A curtain of grey hair was covering his face but when the man heard their footsteps he turned to them so they could see his eyes. They were brown and full of warmth. It occurred Harry that he saw the man earlier, someday, somewhere in the past.

"Professor Mufrid Lemeraude will be our new guest," said Mrs Weasley.

"Professor Lemeraude teaches Ancient Runes," Hermione whispered to Harry.

"Talks about Ancient Runes my dear Hermione," Lemeraude's voice sounded warm yet it felt like he was correcting Hermione. "I talk about Ancient Runes and if someone chooses to listen to me and learn something from me then good for him, or her."

"Could you show professor Lemeraude around the house after lunch and show him his room on third floor? That good for nothing lazy prat fails to act like normal host," Mrs Weasley muttered and suddenly the glass she was polishing shattered into tiny pieces.

Lemeraude was the first person to jump to help her gather the pieces and examine small cut on her hand. He cleaned it quickly, but carefully and taped it with his wand. Moment later there was no sign that Mrs Weasley cut her hand.

Harry and Hermione tried to appear interested by the conversation about cleaning the silverware and for a moment it seemed that they won't need to show Lemeraude around the house but in the exact moment they stood up from the table Lemeraude stood up too.

"I was hoping that I could meet Sirius... I heard a lot about his stunts at school, between older staff he and James Potter are living legend. Do you know why he wasn't at lunch?" Lemeraude asked curiously.

"He came down with a flu," Harry said quickly.

"In the middle of the summer?" Lemeraude asked, now more curious than before. "Sad, very sad. I hope that he will get better in next few days," said Lemeraude quickly. "I will be staying with you for next week, maybe two if I will have problems with getting through books..."

"What kind of books?" asked Hermione quickly.

"Professor Dumbledore told me that the Blacks had big variety of books written in runes and I don't want to miss the opportunity. Do you think that Sirius would have something against if I checked the library without his assistance?" Lemeraude asked cheerfully.

"I don't think he will," Harry admitted though he really wasn't sure if Sirius wouldn't mind.

"Can I ask him about it?" Lemeraude smiled down at them.

"Sirius is sleeping," Hermione said quickly. "He was incredibly tired and he is sleeping... He needs rest... a lot of rest..."

"He just sleeps," Harry interrupted her. "Mostly... Only."

"Did he drunk Sleeping Potion before?" Lemeraude asked curiously.

"Two drops," Hermione admitted. "With two goblets of Firewhiskey."

"When?" Lemearaude asked, his voice sounded more seriously than before.

"Yesterday... and he didn't woke up since then," Hermione answered in a whisper.

Lemeraude gulped visibly before he asked, "How old the potion he drunk was?"

Harry and Hermione didn't answer. Lemeraude paled drastically and asked in barely audible whisper, "Where is he?"

"In his bedroom," Hermione whispered fearfully.

Lemeraude rushed up the stairs with Harry and Hermione at his heels. If Harry had more time to think he would find it curious that Lemeraude who wasn't supposed to know the house since he was supposed to be inside it for the first time knew the exact way to Sirius's room.

When they entered the room Lemeraude went immediately to Sirius's side. He grabbed Sirius's hand and taped it with his wand. It made Sirius's body glow faintly in pink light.

"Sirius," Lemeraude called out Sirius's name. "Sirius," he called again when Sirius didn't reacted, his voice sounded concerned, worried and a bit alarmed.

Harry and Hermione gasped as they saw Sirius opening his eyes a bit and heard him whisper, "Regulus."

"I'm here... you are safe with me. Everything is going to be all right," Lemeraude said, his voice was gentle.

* * *

Discovering that his fiancée is missing, his fiancée who is having his son… Raging at Melvin Prewett who holds him away from her case because he is too emotionally attached to it. A quiet funeral in Canterbury, a grave which holds an empty coffin. There isn't a body to bury, there isn't last goodbye, there isn't last chance to hold her pale hand in his.

He falls down into darkness and he doesn't know if there is someone to catch him, to grab him before he smashes into the ground. There is no one…

"Sirius," a warm voice which he could hear before, somewhere in his past, calls him.

He is falling down. Still...

"Sirius," the voice sounds concerned, worried … a bit alarmed.

He is falling still and there is nothing to break his fall...

"Sirius," the voice calls and suddenly the voice finds matching face... warm brown eyes … and greying hair... a hand extends and he is not falling anymore.

The face seems familiar, like he knew that haughty look from before... he sees it every time he looks in the mirror... But it can't be... unless somehow he died and he passed to other side.

"Regulus," he hears his own whisper.

"I'm here... you are safe, with me. Everything is going to be all right," this older Regulus with greying hair reassures him with gentle smile.

It took him some time to realise that he wasn't dead. If he died, his head wouldn't be throbbing so much, that's the only thing he knew for sure. But how Regulus managed to get here was beyond him. He knew that Regulus was dead, and he wasn't, but it didn't explained why Regulus was sitting next to him.

Regulus hair were mostly grey, but the brown eyes were warm and the smile on his face sincere.

"Regulus," he repeated, not sure if this image would disappear.

"I'm here Sirius," Regulus answered and his hand squeezed Sirius's.

"What had happened to me?" he asked tentatively.

"You were knocked out by an old Sleeping Potion Sirius," Regulus said, his voice full of concern. "You had the kids worried sick about you."

He turned his head and saw Harry and Hermione standing by the door. They looked shocked.

"Sirius?" Harry whispered tentatively. "How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts," he answered truthfully. "How long I've been out?"

"About six hours," Hermione answered nervously.

"Explains why I feel like a shit," Sirius muttered. "But doesn't explains why you are here, Regulus? I thought that you were dead."

"You and the rest of the world," Regulus said with a small, gentle smile.

He propped himself against the headboard and stared at Regulus. He looked far more older than he should. Sirius was going to turn thirty-six in November and Regulus was year and half younger than him, he turned thirty-four at the end of July as far as Sirius remembered. Thirty-four years old shouldn't have grey hair, he thought.

"What had happened to you?" he asked finally.

"I find more interesting what had happened to you, Sirius," said Regulus.

"The locket," he whispered. "We destroyed it, shortly before I got knocked out. It's gone," he said and watched blood draining from Regulus's face.

"Did you knew what you destroyed Sirius?" Regulus's voice sounded concerned.

"I have no bloody idea, perhaps you could tell me," he answered truthfully.

Regulus turned his face to the kids as if he wanted to say something. Sirius had a pretty good idea what he wanted to say and cut Regulus off before he had a chance to say anything, "They stay, they were there Regulus. I wouldn't destroy it without their help. They deserve to know the truth."

Regulus nodded slowly before he gestured at the kids to join them on the bed. When Hermione and Harry were sitting on other side of Sirius's bed Regulus waved his wand at the door.

He ran his free hand through his hair before he said finally, "Have either of you heard about a word called Horcrux?"

Harry and Hermione shook their heads but Sirius didn't. He remembered reading about Horcrux somewhere, ages ago, but he couldn't for the life of him could recall what it was so he finally shook his head.

"The term "Horcrux" is used to refer to any object in which a person has concealed a part of his or her soul. The purpose of a Horcrux is to protect the given bit of soul from anything that might happen to the body of the person to whom the soul belongs. While the Horcrux is kept safe, the person will continue to exist even if his or her body is damaged or destroyed," Regulus said grimly.

"Voldemort," Harry whispered.

"Yes kiddo, Voldemort," Regulus nodded. "But let me continue. To create a Horcrux, by definition the spell-caster must have split his or her soul into fragments, so that one fragment can be implanted within the Horcrux while the other is retained in the spell-caster's own body. The act of splitting the soul is accomplished by committing murder, which rips the soul apart. Voldemort had done his share of killing," he said slowly.

"The locket was the Horcrux," Hermione whispered.

"Yes, Hermione," Regulus agreed. "That much I knew when I went after it, I didn't knew how to destroy it though."

"Diary," Harry whispered.

"Diary?" Regulus asked, he sounded like he didn't understand what Harry meant.

"His diary was a Horcrux too," Harry whispered. "He came out of it when ..."

"When the Chamber of Secrets had been opened," Regulus whispered quickly. "They told me nothing about what had happened back then, all I knew was what I gathered from bits and pieces, but I never heard about a diary."

"From what I saw back then and now the diary was a Horcrux, sir," said Harry quickly.

"Regulus, or Mufrid when others than the three of you are around," Regulus said briskly. "I like to keep me head attached to the rest of the body, thank you very much. Your theory fits very well, Harry. From what I gathered about Voldemort, I know that he possessed more than one Horcrux," he said grimly.

"How many?" Hermione whispered.

"At least one, the locket. That's what I thought when I went after it. But later, after I survived the cave I stopped being so sure about only one. I'm good with memory charms and shortly after Voldemort had vanished for the first time I found out that," he paused, took a deep breath before he continued, "that he could make seven Horcruxes."

"Seven?" all three of them breathed out.

"Seven," Regulus said grimly. "I chose candidates for Horcruxes and as far as I can tell there are few very likely candidates. Voldemort is a show off, he likes things significant, he likes to make sure that everybody knows that he is a Slytherin heir. So the locket is obvious, then I think comes the Gaunt's ring, another sign of his Slytherin heritage. I thought about Ravenclaw's Diadem."

"It had been missing for ages," Sirius said grimly.

"I know. Voldemort may be a homicidal psychopath but he isn't an idiot Sirius," Regulus said firmly. "Hufflepuff's Cup, it gone missing at the same time as the Locket, actually belonged to the same person, so this one is a Horcrux for sure. Then the diary. Probably his snake, Niagini, he always kept her very close and ..." suddenly he stopped.

"That's seven," said Hermione. "You said that there were seven."

"I did," Regulus muttered grimly. "But I stopped being so sure when I heard the rumours nearly three years ago. It's a wild guess, personally I would prefer to not consider it, but if there is something I know about Voldemort," he paused, "I know that he didn't intended," he turned to Harry, his expression grave, "for you to live."

Sirius knew what Regulus meant and he immediately objected, "That's outrageous Regulus!"

"Still possible Sirius," Regulus muttered.

"I'm the Horcrux?" Harry whispered weakly.

"You don't know for sure," Sirius growled. "Stop even suggesting it Regulus. He has enough on his plate. Harry don't listen to him!"

* * *

He felt like someone hit him hard on the head. It couldn't be possible. No. Sirius was right, it was outrageous to even suggest it. But... _how do you explain being Parseltongue? How do you explain feeling Voldemort's presence? How do you explain that you are able to feel Voldemort's moods? See what he is doing? You are a Horcrux._

"I'm a Horcrux," he whispered. "It fits. Oh, Merlin."

He wanted to get out. To run away and never came back. To leave the people he cared about, to not endanger them. He will jump in front of the bus. He will die and Voldemort's part would die with him. He rushed in the direction of the door but he managed to make only three steps before strong arms caught him in the middle.

"You are not going anywhere," said the voice he recognised as Sirius brother's.

"I'm a Horcrux," he repeated. "It explains everything," he cried out.

"It explains everything," Regulus whispered. "But you dying won't stop Voldemort. Not yet, at least. Sirius tell him what you know! Tell him about prophecy!"

_What?_

He felt that he was hauled to Sirius's bed, Regulus's arms still around his waist. He felt the man sitting behind him. _What else they hid from you? What else they knew?_

He raised his head and looked at Sirius. He was even paler than before. His hands were shaking.

"They told me not to," Sirius whispered. "They told me not to tell you this. I objected, I told them that you were supposed to know it, you were supposed to know something as important as this."

"The prophecy?" Hermione whispered weakly, and Harry felt her hand squeezing his gently.

"Shortly before you were born Harry," Sirius started. "A prophecy was made. We, the Order had been only told the first part. The part which foretells the birth of a boy in July to parents who had thrice defied Voldemort."

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ..." Regulus whispered into Harry's ear.

"You knew it?" Sirius asked in shock.

"I did," Harry felt Regulus nod behind his back. "There are two people in this world which know the full contest of the prophecy. The one to whom the prophecy was made and the one who recorded it. The second one was me the former one is Dumbledore."

"That explains it," Sirius muttered.

"That's why we can't let you die Harry," Regulus said. "Not yet, not now. Not until Voldemort's other Horcruxes are destroyed."

"So he has to kill me," Harry whispered. "He has to kill me in the end."

"Yes," Regulus whispered. "But maybe not for sure," he added suddenly. "There has to be away to extract the Horcrux part from you without you dying."

"There is not," Harry whispered weakly. "I'm doomed to die."

"Everybody dies Harry," Regulus whispered. "Hell. I was meant to die. But I'm here, now, and I'm very much alive."

Harry said nothing. He only felt tears running down his face. He didn't realised when two other sets of arms enveloped him.

"We won't let you die, Harry," Sirius whispered. "Not without trying to find the way around. I swear."

"We will go to Dumbledore," Hermione added.

"Dumbledore would not help," Regulus muttered. "He knows and yet, the only thing he did was keeping the truth away, from you Harry, from the Order. He didn't had done anything to ensure your safety without ulterior motive. He is manipulative old codger, I learned as much. He would be ready to sacrifice each and single one of you if the price was high enough. I trust him with the safety of students at Hogwarts, but I wouldn't entrust my own life in his hands. Never."

He felt his heart breaking. He knew that Regulus was right. The sincerity of every word the man said was suffocating him. Dumbledore's betrayal hurt beyond words. Knowing his fate was making his head swim. The air which he breathed in wasn't giving him oxygen. He felt weak, crushed by what he heard. He heard himself sobbing before the world turned black and he felt no more.

* * *

She watched as Regulus put Harry on the bed in his old bedroom, and Sirius draped the coverlet around Harry's body. He looked so small, so weak, so crushed.

"Regulus, take Harry's things from his old room. Hermione will show you," Sirius said as he sat at Harry's side.

Regulus nodded and motioned at the Hermione to come with him. She obeyed him and tailed behind him to the landing, closing the door to Regulus's room behind.

"He will be out for the rest of the day. Sirius will be with him," Regulus said quietly.

"Is there nothing we can do?" she heard herself asking him, her own voice sounded like she was begging.

"There is something which we can do Hermione," whispered Regulus, and she felt him grasping her shoulders. His eyes bore into hers. "We can ensure that Voldemort would not reach Harry's mind. We will find the way around the Horcrux. I want you to know that I don't want him to die. No one should die. I will make everything in my power to find the way around. But I will need your help. You know him the best. You are with him almost all the time. Watching after him when Sirius and I aren't around would be your responsibility from now Hermione."

She nodded. She always watched after him. She could do as much. She felt every word she heard today catching with the reality and she realised that she was crying.

Strong arms enveloped her and held her tightly. They said no words because there was no words to be said.

They moved Harry's things into Regulus's old room quickly. It took them only two trips downstairs to bring Harry's trunk, Hedwig's cage and Harry's books. Thankfully Ron, or anyone else wasn't around because she didn't felt like answering why they were moving Harry's things.

The dinner was quiet affair, at least for her. She tried to appear interested in a talk about clearing the rooms at the ground floor. Regulus, who was sitting beside her, said nothing except 'Thank you' when Mrs Weasley handed him his plate. When they asked her where Harry was she told them that he retired to the bed early. Mrs Weasley of course expressed her thoughts about it but Hermione ignored her. Suddenly she felt like screaming, yelling at the lot of them for being so cheerful, so happy, so ignorant. She felt that if she remained there in the kitchen, with the Weasleys acting like a merry bunch of ignorant they were she would do something she would later regret. She excused herself from the table and left the kitchen without finishing her dinner.

She went upstairs, to Regulus's room. Nothing had changed from before. Harry was still lying on the bed and Sirius didn't even moved for an inch since she left. She closed the door before she approached Sirius and hugged the man.

"I don't want him to die Sirius," she whispered as his arm hugged her.

"Neither do I," Sirius whispered. "Neither do I, Hermione. I would die first before I will let him die."

* * *

He spent whole night at Harry's side. He dozed off around three o'clock in the morning when Regulus told him that he will watch Harry. Even then he didn't left the room, he send Hermione to his bedroom around midnight so his own bed was out of questions. He curled in his Animagi form at Harry's side, letting Padfoot keep warm his little boy.

He woke up three hours later, Regulus was still in the room, engrossed in a huge book, checking on Harry from time to time. He changed back into his human form.

"I'm surprised that the Weasleys didn't started looking for them," he whispered to no one in particular.

"I put confudus on the stairs to our landing," Regulus said grimly. "No one other than yourself, myself, Harry and Hermione would be able to get here or get out."

"But they started searching for them?" he asked.

"They did. Molly expressed her worries about Harry not being in his bedroom. I told her that he was and that she needs to have her eyesight checked and to stop bother me since I came here for other reason than cleaning. You should get rid of them quickly. I rather not make everything what had happened here known to general audience," Regulus shut his book with a thud.

"Like it would be easy thing to do," he muttered grimly.

"From what I gathered from Hermione, Molly keeps constantly questioning your authority both as Harry's godfather and the host. Sirius I knew would never let this kind of insult down," Regulus said and sagging mattress on the other side of the bed told Sirius that Regulus switched places.

"They are members of the Order," Sirius said blankly.

"They can come to the meetings too. They have their own house, Sior. Kreacher is handling the house by himself pretty good and you don't need Mrs Bossy around," Regulus reasoned.

"You are right," Sirius whispered. "I will get rid of them as soon as I can. Dumbledore be damned."

* * *

She woke up in unfamiliar bed and blinked to clear her eyes. The walls of the room were covered with posters of motorcycles and girls in bikini. It looked like a room of typical teenager boy, that what anyone else would think if they saw the room. She, however, knew that the room belonged to not so teenager anymore godfather of her best friend. Lying there in his bed she couldn't help but admire Sirius's nerve knowing what kind his parents were.

She really appreciated that Sirius let her spend the night here. She was too tired and too worried to go down to her room she shared with Ginny last night.

"Coming down for breakfast?" asked male voice from the doorway, she turned her head in that direction and saw Regulus leaning against the doorframe.

"In a minute," she mumbled. "He got a nerve," she waved her hand at the walls.

"Oh, yeah," Regulus chuckled. "He did. Mother was livid when she realised that he used Permanent Sticking Charm to glue them."

"How is Harry?" she asked.

"Didn't woke up yet and to tell you the truth I would prefer him unconscious until I figure out how to deal with what had happened," Regulus answered sincerely.

"You can't keep him unconscious for an eternity Regulus," she pointed out.

"I know," he nodded. "Considering our plans Harry should be out till some time later today, worst case tomorrow morning."

"What kind of a plans?" she asked as she picked up her jumper which she took off before she went to sleep, she slept in her clothes last night.

"You will see," he said as she put the jumper on.

They left the room together. On the other side of the door Sirius was waiting for them and together they went to the kitchen.

They sat at the table, she in the middle and both Blacks on her sides. Mrs Weasley was already there bossing around the kitchen, unaware of Kreacher glaring daggers through her head. When Sirius sat down the elf looked at him expectantly but Sirius shook his head which made old house-elf sigh heavily.

Just a moment later the commotion on the stairs was heard and the rest of the Weasleys came down, first Fred and George, followed by Bill and Ginny with Ron tagging behind.

"Where is Harry?" asked Mrs Weasley.

"No idea," Ron muttered as he sat down in front of Hermione. "Wasn't in his bed when I went to sleep nor when I woke up."

"Hermione wasn't in our room too," Ginny said quickly as she sat down next to Ron.

"Where were you?" Mrs Weasley asked her bossily.

"In the house," Sirius muttered before she had a chance to answer. "You aren't her mother so she doesn't have to report you where she goes."

"Sirius," Mrs Weasley said warningly.

"I was only stating the facts," Sirius muttered and he picked up a toast from the plate in front of him.

"We are not eating till Harry comes down," said Mrs Weasley sternly.

"So it means that we will die from hunger because Harry isn't coming down," Regulus muttered. "He had a terrible nightmare and currently is sleeping in his bedroom until the effect of Sleeping Potion which won't wear off till noon."

"You mean that he retired to the bed yesterday very early and he is still sleeping, and not in his bed? I checked yesterday, he wasn't there," Mrs Weasley asked sternly.

"He is sleeping in his bed," Sirius muttered grimly.

"Last time I checked Lily Potter had been dead," Regulus snorted.

"What it has to do with Harry?" Mrs Weasley asked surprised.

Sirius snorted grimly and Regulus grimaced before he said, "Everything."

"Like?" Mrs Weasley asked.

"Like the fact that she was, is and will always remain Harry's mother," Sirius said sternly. "You aren't her and no one asked you to try to take her place, Molly. If someone possess the authority to bossy Harry around and tell him what to do and what to not do it's me. He came to me last morning saying that he had a nightmare and asked me if I could give him another room so he didn't had to wake Ron up every time he had a nightmare. I told him that I could. It's my house and I can do everything I want."

"Made you feel important, didn't it?" Mrs Weasley asked lividly.

Sirius hadn't a chance to answer it because Regulus cut in quickly, "Did you?"

"Did me what?" Mrs Weasley snarled at him angrily.

"Made you feel important?" Regulus mocked her. "Big house, a bit too lingered, but there is nothing which a good clearing can't get rid of. Ancestral house of one of the most oldest pure-blood families, and there is the heir of the house. An only heir of another most respectable pure-blood family on that. Did I failed to mention that poor dear is an orphan?" Regulus said as he stood up from his chair and walked around the table to stand in front of Mrs Weasley. "Why not play concerned family to lull his senses, made him think that we are only concerned about his well-being."

"What you mean?" Mrs Weasley asked surprised.

"You know fucking well what I mean Molly!" Regulus snarled. "Do you think that it was the draft which opened the door to the library? I caught you fucking red-handed and yet you got a nerve to flatly deny your filthy little master-plan which concerns poor orphaned boy, with no family but with huge inheritance and status of a wizarding world's hero, your little daughter and her petty crush! Do you seriously think that no one would see through your filthy little plan or you're just this stupid?" he screamed and then he turned to Sirius. "Yesterday night I caught her in the library with the book about strong, undetectable love potions. If there is anything from which your godson can be shielded that's fucking her!" he pointed at Mrs Weasley.

"That will be enough," Sirius said through gritted teeth. He stood up, drafting himself to the full high and said icily, "I give you two hours to pack everything you had in this house and leave and never appear here unless on Order's meeting."

"You had no right!" Mrs Weasley yelled.

"My house. My godson. My right," Sirius said sternly. "If I see you or someone from your family after ten o'clock I will have them kicked out by Kreacher sooner than you can say Love Potion. Get out!"

"Sirius!" said Bill quickly.

"I said two hours," Sirius growled. "Hermione. Lemeraude. Both of you with me," he motioned at them.

They went upstairs into Sirius's room where Hermione and Regulus sat down on the bed as Sirius kept pacing in front of them.

"You really didn't make it up?" he asked finally as he stopped for a second.

"Did I had a reason to make it up?" Regulus asked.

"You really saw her?" Hermione asked timidly, she was surprised when she heard it for the first time.

"I really did. I was under Harry's cloak when I was checking if everyone was asleep. I caught her red handed," Regulus muttered grimly.

It made sense. She remembered Mrs Weasley telling her and Ginny about love potions she made when she was their age two years ago day before they left to Hogwarts. She remembered how concerned Mrs Weasley was always about Harry, sometimes even more than she ever was for Ron. She could perfectly well play concerned matron without showing that she had ulterior motive. And Ginny ... Ginny pinned for Harry for ages, she was the only daughter and she would have no objections if Harry took the interest in her. What was worse Ginny could know about her mother's plan and never say a word…

Suddenly she shuddered as she remembered how Ron had been acting last year. _Maybe ... Maybe she was the victim of Mrs Weasley's plan too. No, it couldn't be possible ... but what if it was?_ She felt sick, about everything, about Harry's state, Mrs Weasley's hypercriticism.

"That's sick," she whispered angrily.

"Sick, but still legal," Regulus muttered. "Let's check on Harry. It will make this two hours pass quickly. Quicker than watching the Weasleys pack."

"You still have Harry's cloak with you?" Sirius asked.

"On the chair," Regulus muttered and he pointed out at the chair at the desk.

"You two keep an eye on Harry. I will check how seriously they took my words," Sirius muttered.

* * *

He picked up Harry's cloak from the chair where Regulus left it and covered himself before he made his way down as silently as he could. When he passed the wall of Confundus Charm which Regulus put yesterday he saw Bill leaning against the wall. At his side were standing Fred and George, both looked unusually sombre.

"Do you think that Lemeraude lied, there in the kitchen, Bill?" asked Fred quietly.

Bill said nothing, just stared at the wall between his brothers shoulders.

"Bill!" George prompted.

"I don't know very much," Bill muttered grimly. "Actually the only thing I'm sure about is what I heard both from Percy and his ex-girlfriend."

"What Percy has to do with it Bill?" asked George.

"He turned his back on us," Fred added.

"He did, I won't deny it," Bill sighed heavily. "I will tell you what I know and under no circumstances you will pass it to anybody. What you two know about Penelope Clearwater?"

"Not much," George answered.

"Only that she was in Ravenclaw, same year as Percy and that she was a Muggle-born. They used to date," Fred added.

"That's the problem," Bill muttered. "Last year when I asked Percy how things were going between them he told me that they split, told me that mum persuaded him that it was nothing serious and that it will distract him from work. Percy, being Percy, did what he thought was best."

"What about Clearwater?" asked George.

"I ran into her two days ago. Actually she approached me when I was having lunch, she had to recognise me," Bill shrugged. "She asked me about Percy, she sounded really worried. From word to word I gathered that about year ago mum approached her at her home and asked her to end things with Percy. Penelope told her that she won't because she loved him but then Percy ended it on his own. I'm more than sure that mum had something to do with it," he muttered.

"So Lemeraude might be right?" asked Fred grimly.

"He might," Bill nodded. "I never really cared but now..." he hung his voice.

"So we are packing?" asked George.

"Unless you want Sirius to fulfil his threat. With Sirius reasoning flies out of the window as far as Harry is concerned. This you know as much," Bill muttered.

"He bit me," Fred snorted.

"Told you so, reasoning flies out of the window, puppy was in danger," Bill snorted.

"Where is Sirius?" suddenly Remus's voice carried across the corridor. Tagging behind him was Dora. Both looked very concerned.

"Judging by the look on your face mum got you," Bill muttered.

"He has no right to kick you out!" Remus growled.

"Frankly he has every fucking right to do so," George snorted.

"As far as Harry is concerned Sirius will even get out and beat the shit out of You-Know-Who himself. He is trying to protect him," Bill muttered.

"From whom?" asked Dora.

"Mum," Fred muttered. "Lemeraude found her with a book about love potions yesterday."

"He caught her reading it," Bill added grimly. "We have to remove ourselves from his house till ten o'clock. Mum already told Dumbledore that Sirius is kicking us out. He will come here in the evening to try to reason out with Sirius but he told her to leave the house nevertheless."

"Knowing Sirius it won't help much. What about the Order?" asked Remus grimly.

"He allowed us to come here for the meetings," Bill answered.

"Do what he says," Remus nodded. "I will try to talk to him. Maybe he is exaggerating and maybe he is not."

"He went upstairs with Hermione and Lemeraude, they are with Harry," said George.

"But you won't get there. There is a spell on the stairs which prevents anyone from walking there. We tried," Bill muttered.

"Then I will wait here till he comes down," Remus said and he sat down cross-legged on the floor. "Go pack."

Three redheads nodded and left the corridor. Dora, however, remained with Remus.

"Do you think that he has a reason Remus?" she asked in a small voice as she sat down on the opposite side of the corridor to Remus.

"It's Sirius we are talking about Tonks," Remus sighed. "Bill is right as far as Harry is concerned Sirius will do everything for him to not get harmed by anyone. He broke out from Azkaban because he thought that Harry was in danger. He lived in the cave for a year. He will do everything to ensure that Harry is safe."

"What do you know about that Lemeraude guy Remus?" Dora asked curiously.

"He teaches Ancient Runes since Landsand decided to leave Hogwarts after Christamas in 1990. He is incredibly close guarded and quite well educated in Defence Against Dark Arts, but that's what I know from talking with him, he never wanted that post. But there is a very curious thing about him, Dora, when I had Marauder's Map with me I never saw him there. I even saw Binns and Peeves and other ghost but I never spotted Mufrid Lemeraud on Marauder's Map."

_That's curious. Regulus managed to get himself whipped from the map._

"Do you think that he is a Death Eater, Remus?" Dora asked.

"If he was then he hides it better than Snape does," Remus replied. "But I admit that Lemeraude always reminded me someone I knew before but the scent is completely wrong…"

"Out of the things I know for sure," Snape muttered, he was standing two steps below the third floor and looked even grimier than ever, "is that there wasn't a Death Eater named Mufrid Lemeraude, or Lemeraude or Mufrid. If he is a Death Eater then he is pretty good at hiding it and he is probably not in Dark Lord's favour at the moment or not at all."

"What brought you here, Severus?" Remus asked politely.

"Dumbledore told me to check upon the boy. He fears that Black knocked him out just to ensure some kind of control over the kid," Snape said sourly.

_Damn right you are, Snivellus._

"Then you are welcome to go through that ward," Remus pointed at the stairs. "The Weasleys kids tried to get through it but failed miserably."

"Did you tried to get through the ward, Lupin?" Snape asked sarcastically.

"As far as I know Sirius, beside very strong confundus there is a blood ward on the stairs," Remus replied. "Which is weird because I'm sure that Hermione is up there with Harry and him and she is not a Black."

"So if you need Black to get through the ward then why Nymphadora didn't tried?" Snape asked ironically. "After all she is part a Black if Black's mutters from the meetings from last few weeks over that elf not taking orders from her were correct…"

Dora quickly stood up and went to the stairs. She wanted to make her hand go through the ward but it stopped like there was a glass wall in front of her.

"Doesn't work," she mumbled.

"Or it's keyed to the male member of Black family," Remus muttered. "Which would be weird because Lemeraude is supposed to be there too and he is not a Black."

_Actually he is, Moony._

Remus looked pensive for a moment then he muttered under his breath, "Moony you damn fool."

"Not that I would disagree but what you just realised Lupin?" Snape asked grimly.

"It's a ward which allows male member of Black family to pass along with something else because it let in Hermione," Remus said and he stood up. "But I know why Lemeraude is up there."

"Why?" asked Dora.

"Severus," Remus turned to Snape. "Imagine Lemeraude's face, just his face and not his hair. Whose face it reminds you?"

Snape looked pensive for a moment before he whispered, "A dead man on whose head Dark Lord gave a price fifteen years ago."

"Whom?" asked Dora.

"Regulus," Remus told her. "Sirius's younger brother. Take away Lemeraude's hair and you will see Regulus. Same eyes, same high-cheekbones, same lips. He smells differently but he looks like him and it explains why I never saw him on the…" he paused there, "He is Sirius's brother, Sirius was the keeper of the map, Regulus was bound to find out something about the map and he somehow managed to whip himself from the map."

"The map?" Snape muttered.

"Doesn't matter now," Remus said. "Quickly, what does matters is that if my assumption are right there is a former Death Eater upstairs with Harry, a Muggle-born girl and a man whose death would only give him profits."

It was time to take of the cloak before Remus would tear apart the house in attempt to find the way upstairs.

"Nothing will happen," Sirius said and he took of the cloak from his head so it was visible. "I trust him more than I trust you," he turned to Snape.

"That's very reassuring, Sirius," Remus snorted. "He is a Death Eater."

"He is a Death Eater too," Sirius pointed at Snape and shrugged. "But since I trust Regulus with Harry far more than I trust him," he pointed at Snape again, "if the word gets around about his true identity trust me you three would wish that Voldemort got you first."

"Thank you very much for your concern Sirius but I assure you that I can fight my own battles," he heard Regulus's voice from behind. "Red-headed devils are gone?"

"Not yet," Sirius sighed. "How is Harry?"

"Still sleeping," Regulus replied. "You three, keep in mind what Sirius said before. Especially you Severus, I won't have much of a trouble with pointing out your faults with the Dark Lord if you betray me because unlike most of the Order of the Phoenix I know to whom you are really loyal," he turned to Snape with a wicked smile on his face. "You are Master Occlumens of course but even a Master Occlumens supplied with Mensveritaserum which I happen to have on me will sing everything to anyone who would ask him."

"What is your true allegiance?" Remus asked quietly.

"My only allegiance is my brother and his son. These are people whom I will never betray. I'm not the one of Dark Lord's but if it will be required I will once again go to serve him as long as I know that the Dark Lord will live no more shortly after that."

"But Sirius doesn't have a son, do you?" Remus asked.

"I speak of his godson," Regulus snorted. "My loyalty lies with them not Dumbledore, not Voldemort not the Order of the Phoenix nor Death Eaters. My intention is doing far more than the Order of the Phoenix does, making sure that the Dark Lord would be gone for good."

"Dumbledore…" started Remus and Snape at the same time.

"Is great master puppeteer," Regulus snorted. "If the case required he would sacrifice every single one of you for virtually nothing. You," he turned to Snape, "were tricked by him but didn't it ever occurred you that all what you are is just a puppet in Dumbledore's hands? He promised you redemption but what you got instead? A double life suffocated by your guilt, a constant painful reminder of what could have been if you weren't stupid enough and you will continue to lead this life until one of your two masters will ask you something which you won't want to do, even then there will be to redemption to you, only death. How does it hurt to see the eyes of the woman you loved dearly in the face of the man you despised? How many time you persuaded yourself that its your school archenemy you see not an only child of the woman you loved, an only child who had been denied love all his life. A child of the woman you loved who at few close calls were about an inch from death because of his 'beloved' relatives."

"What do you see when you look at him?" Snape snarled.

"I see a child who had been denied love all his childhood, a child who clung to friends who didn't deserved to be his friends. I see a boy whose only desire is to be loved because he had been emotionally abused all his life, who doesn't wants the fame because he would want his parents back instead of the fame he has. I see a martyr of the wizard kind. You know why Voldemort is after him, Severus. We both do," Regulus said firmly.

"Did you told him?" Snape finally paled at that.

"Which part?" Regulus asked curiously. "That one which concerns a little globe which a certain Dark Lord very much wants to have or this part where you as good as signed the death warrant on his parents and himself?"

"What?!" Sirius growled and before he had a chance to launch himself at Snape Regulus caught in the middle. "You told Voldemort the prophecy?! You fucking asshole! Wait till I get my hands on you! Reg, let me go!" he struggled against his brother's grip.

"No, Sirius. As much as I hate to point it out we still need a spy within Dark Lord's circle if we want him gone for good," Regulus said sternly, his grip on Sirius tightened even more. "Plus I dare to say that living for fourteen years with knowledge that you lead to the death of the woman you loved more than life itself is more than proper punishment for his crime, after all at the time he passed this information he was still enchanted by the Dark Lord imbecile."

"Look who's talking," Sirius muttered grimly.

"Remember what I told you about Dumbledore, Sirius?" Regulus asked quickly. "If you kill Snape right now trust me that Dumbledore won't even blink before he will find a way to ship you off to Azkaban again. Think about your little boy, you don't want to leave him to deal with this on his own. He needs your guidance, Sirius," he added fiercely.

"How did you found out? All of it?" Snape whispered, he was paler than Sirius ever saw him.

"Mensveritaserum," Regulus replied shortly. "After three drops of it with your evening goblet of wine you talk in your sleep, about everything. I have been dosing you ever since I came to Hogwarts. It's tasteless and untraceable so you can't tell if you had been dosed by it or not. If I wanted too I could write a book about your life using only the information which I got from you."

"So you had been dosing me for nearly five years," Snape whispered. "With highly illegal, known only by few, potion."

"I was good with memory charms, Severus. Whom do you think is responsible for mass amnesia concerning Mensveritaserum?" Regulus chuckled.

"You? But if the Dark Lord…" he mumbled.

"The Dark Lord does not knows," Regulus snickered. "Fortunately for us the Dark Lord is not a Potion Master nor a pure-blood and even if he once wondered about this specific potion he has no one to ask since my great-grandfather consider this knowledge as something which should be perished from wizarding world since Veritaserum itself was enough to ruin someone's life. He is mostly responsible for mass-amnesia amongst the men of his age. Only First Class Potion Master knows about Mensveritaserum and even then he or she can't prepare it because essential ingredient in the recipe is missing. Right now I have very important question and I would like to know the answer quickly."

"And that would be?" Dora asked.

"Where you loyalty lies? With the Dark Lord? With Dumbledore? Or within something else?" Regulus asked curiously.

* * *

**Awaiting criticism - like always. I'm replying as long as you leave me your email or you log in while reviewing. Bring my ego down ;)**

_Explanations about Sirius: I always thought that this whole Sirius projecting James on Harry in OotP had more deepth than the one we got in OotP._

_Explanations about Regulus: I'm delusional, I preffer him alive and when I have a chance to write a story he is alive in it - I got better with bringing around excuses for it with the time ;)._


	3. Chapter 3: A Very Busy Day

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or anything what you can recognize from the books. I do however own the plot of this story but I don't have profits because of it unless you count improving my English as a profit.

**Preview:** The questioning about loyalty continues. Something bad happens to Harry and the merry bunch discovers something which shakes them all.

**So** **_read, enjoy and review (because I love to read your criticism and as long as you are logged in or I have your email I'm answering to your questions)._**

**AN:** Discovered Reader Traffic - great job .

_**ETA: There is a poll in my profile where you can vote for Harry's name (which will be changed in next chapter).**_

* * *

**Chapter three: A Very Busy Day**.

"What do you mean?" Remus asked tentatively. "Of course that our loyalty lies with Dumbledore."

"Not mine," said Regulus simply. "My lies with my brother and his godson."

"My loyalty lies with Harry," Sirius said firmly.

"Lily," Snape said so quietly that if Sirius' hearing was so sensitive after spending twelve years in Azkaban he would miss it completely.

"What about you Remus?" asked Sirius quietly, looking at his old friend. "Whom you are loyal to?"

Remus looked at him pleadingly, Sirius knew that Remus owed a lot to Dumbledore and that he was torn between his remaining friend and Dumbledore.

"If your loyalty lies with Dumbledore you will change your mind after hearing what Reg has to say," Sirius said calmly. "Now Reg, let me go. I have some red-heads to scare shitless," Regulus didn't let go of him. "I promise to not hurt the greasy git, Marauder's honour."

"Fine," Regulus mumbled and he let Sirius go.

Sirius quickly covered himself with Harry's cloak and marched down the stairs past Snivellus. He didn't hexed him or hurt him in any other way but he simply couldn't resist sticking his tongue at greasy git, not that the git saw it.

* * *

He felt a bit uneasy with letting Sirius loose. He didn't liked red-headed devil and most of her spawns even a single bit but then again Sirius in his mood, with Harry upstairs, unconscious, could do practically everything. _Maybe Kreacher would restrain him before he will actually murder someone._

He looked back at the trio around him and with heavy sigh he waved his wand at the ward. Then he motioned with his head at the stairs. Slowly, one by one they went past him and stopped when he waved his wand after they passed.

"Safety precaution," he muttered. "After me."

He lead them to Sirius' bedroom where he motioned at them to sit down. Snape looked around curiously and then he looked at the door to Regulus' old bedroom pointedly. Regulus shook his head at them and closed the door to Sirius' room.

"Have either of you heard about the word called Horcrux?" he asked calmly.

Dora and Lupin shook their heads quickly. Snape looked pensive, just like Sirius did when Regulus was telling the tale first time around, but he shook his head in the end.

"The term "Horcrux" is used to refer to any object in which a person has concealed a part of his or her soul. The purpose of a Horcrux is to protect the given bit of soul from anything that might happen to the body of the person to whom the soul belongs. While the Horcrux is kept safe, the person will continue to exist even if his or her body is damaged or destroyed," Regulus said grimly.

"The Dark Lord…" Snape whispered in shock.

"Indeed," Regulus cut him off. "But let me continue. To create a Horcrux, by definition the spell-caster must have split his or her soul into fragments, so that one fragment can be implanted within the Horcrux while the other is retained in the spell-caster's own body. The act of splitting the soul is accomplished by committing murder, which rips the soul apart. The Dark Lord had done his share of killing as your lot knows," he said slowly. "In Dark Lord's case we are talking about seven of them. His diary, the one which Harry destroyed in his second year in the Chamber of Secrets. Slytherin's locket, this one Sirius destroyed yesterday before he got knocked out by an old sleeping potion," he explained grimly.

"Seven?" Lupin mumbled. "He made seven?"

"Dark Lord is a show off, he likes things significant, he likes to make sure that everybody knows that he is a Slytherin heir. So the locket is obvious, then I think comes the Gaunt's ring, another sign of his Slytherin heritage. I thought about Ravenclaw's Diadem," he added with a snort.

"It had been missing for ages," Snape snorted.

"I know. Voldemort may be a homicidal psychopath but he isn't an idiot," Regulus rolled his eyes at that. "Hufflepuff's Cup, it gone missing at the same time as the Locket, actually belonged to the same person, so this one is a Horcrux for sure. Then the diary, destroyed as we know. Probably his snake, Niagini, he always kept her very close and ..." he stopped again, not sure if he should tell them that there was very strong possibility that Harry was a Horcrux too. "I believe that Harry Potter is a Horcrux too, it explains everything."

"You are mad," Lupin whispered.

Dora only stared at him with wide eyes.

Snape was looking at him too, his expression was unreadable but Regulus knew him a bit too much to know that he was thinking hard right now. Finally he said, "What do you want to do with the boy?"

"Find a way around the Horcrux," Regulus replied truthfully. "I don't intend to kill him and I would do everything to stop the kid from dying."

"You have something else in mind too," Snape added.

_A Slytherin knows a Slytherin._

"I need Occlumency Master to teach him Occlumency. Someone who can teach him properly but not ridicule him at every attempt, after all he needs to learn Occlumency not plan a murder on the Occlumency Master," he looked pointedly at Snape. "There is no need to worry about the Trace. It doesn't works in this house," he looked then at Lupin. "He also needs to learn defence, Hermione as well. Dumbledore doesn't has a teacher for DADA yet and something is telling me that even if he finds one, it's not going to be the most pleasant person around. Dora you will help him," he pointed at Lupin.

"What about Dumbledore?" asked Lupin cautiously.

"How about old codger suspecting that dear old Tommy boy had Horcruxes and yet doing nothing? How about leaving Philosophy Stone in the castle and having three eleven years old students getting past so called protection of it? How about Harry nearly dying four times in the span of four years? Or the Dursleys? Did you knew that Dumbledore left him with this 'caring' people who treated the kid worse like their house-elf? For blood protection to work on this damned house Harry needs to consider it as home but it's a miracle that he lived to enter Hogwarts," Regulus snorted. "The cupboard under the stairs. Only enough food to not die from hunger. Why do you think Harry clings to Sirius so much, Lupin? Because unlike his relatives, Sirius loves him. Because for Harry Sirius is the only, real family he knows, someone who cares about him besides his friends. Speaking about the family and friends Lupin. Where were you for these twelve years?" he looked at the man accusingly.

"Where were you?" asked Snape quickly.

"Me?" Regulus snorted. "I was teaching math in his primary school, his class. I was making sure that the boy was actually safe at his aunt's house. Three times I reported abuse to muggle authorities and demanded removing the child from their care and three times old codger meddled with it so Harry wasn't supposed to leave that fucking place. I left when I heard that Landsand was retiring and I knew that Harry was supposed to come to Hogwarts next fall. I only regret that he didn't took Ancient Runes but even then I had my way to keep an eye on him. Who do you think tricked the door to let Sirius in? Lupin?" he glared at the werewolf. "He was too scared of his own shadow back then. Or who do you think ensured that Hermione got a part Kneazel? I always believed in Sirius' innocence and after he escaped I did everything I could to ensure that these two had meet. I only regret that I didn't came to Shrieking Shack myself."

"Dumbledore," Lupin whispered.

"I know," Regulus sighed. "I know that you owe a lot to Dumbledore but you owe more to James and Lily and their son. I know that Dumbledore was trying to keep the boy away from wizarding world before he entered it but you could at least write to him since his first year, Lupin. He looks up to you, Lupin. He respects you greatly."

Snape snorted at that.

"Stop snorting," Regulus berated him. "You aren't better Snape. He is as much Lily's son as he is James', if not more. Had you saw it and treated him in the way Lily would want you to treat him you would get a brilliant student who would look up to you in the same way he looks up to Lupin. Potions and Chemistry are a lot alike. Did you knew that the subject he wanted to learn the most after ending his primary school was Chemistry? You were his mother's friend for Merlin's sake. If you ever told him something about Lily he would hero worship you till the end of the world but then you chose your own course of actions, protect the boy but don't do anything besides it. Or were you thinking that if it wasn't for your own stupidity he would be your son? Would you treat him the same way you are treating him now? Would you treat him in the same way your father treated you?"

"Don't!" Snape snarled.

"Hit the nerve, didn't I?" Regulus asked ironically. "You are an idiot, Snape. What is more, you know that you are an idiot. You could be his mentor but you chose your oversized bat attitude and ran away from responsibility with your tail between legs like Lupin did. You chose to see James Potter reincarnated, you chose not to see real Harry. Even now you are here on Dumbledore's orders. Now I will leave the three of you to think when I'm going to check upon Harry. Don't worry about leaving the house, you won't apparate out or get past the ward without me or Sirius," he said before he turned around and marched out of the room shooting the door behind himself.

He quickly entered the room and saw Harry still asleep and Hermione at his side, she was reading to him Regulus's old poems, how she got her hands on it he didn't knew.

"Still nothing?" he asked her.

She turned to face him and shook her head.

"I will go down to restrain Sirius from murdering the Weasleys. Snape, Lupin and Dora might come in. If they try to do something tricky you can hex them into new year, don't worry about the Trace, it doesn't work in this house," he smiled at her and left the room.

* * *

After Regulus left she lied his poems aside and picked up her wand from her pocket. If she knew Snape, he was only waiting for Regulus to leave this ground before he would come here and it's not that Snape could take away any point during the summer.

As she predicted it took Snape, Lupin and Tonks only two minutes of not having Sirius or Regulus around to come here. Lupin and Tonks stopped about five feet away from her after entering the room when Snape went past them and stood at the headboard. Very slowly he lied his hand on Harry's forehead.

"Under the effects of sleeping charm?" he asked her calmly, or as calmly as it was possible for Snape.

She nodded.

"Lemeraude admitted having other name?" Snape continued asking.

"Yesterday," she answered. "Plus other things. That's why Harry is under Morpheus Charm, he took it very bad."

"Who wouldn't," Lupin mumbled.

"When do you think he is going to wake up?" asked Tonks gently.

"Regulus said that sometime today," Hermione replied.

"Did you ate something Granger?" Snape asked her firmly.

"I ate something, Professor," she replied in equally firm voice.

"There is no way to talk you out from his side?" Snape asked.

"There isn't, plus I'm allowed to hex anyone into next year if they try to do anything tricky, sir," she replied briskly.

"Three against one?" Snape asked ironically.

"Do you think that Sirius and Regulus put together are so stupid to allow you into Harry's room without ensuring that you won't live to tell the tale if you hurt him, sir?" she asked sternly and looked down at Harry's motionless hand, she didn't want them to see that she was bluffing.

"Wasn't Harry sleeping downstairs?" asked Lupin gently.

"We moved him here yesterday," Hermione replied without raising her head. "Regulus doesn't have a problem with it and Sirius wants him closer."

Then Snape did something she never expected him to do, he sat down cross-legged on the floor next to the head of Harry's bed.

"What you are doing, Professor?" she asked cautiously.

"Fixing past mistakes," Snape replied. "You two, go snog in the other room," he waved his left hand at Lupin and Tonks, Tonks blushed furiously and Lupin became suddenly very interested with the chandelier.

_They are so pathetic._

Suddenly Sirius and Regulus entered the room together.

"Hermione," Sirius said. "Go to your room and move to the room on the third floor. You two," he waved at Lupin and Tonks, "will help her. Snape, you are going with Regulus to the library. I will come back to Harry after I will check up with Kreacher and deceive Shacklebolt. Out with you."

* * *

He barely closed the door behind Shackelbolt when he heard blood curling scream coming from upstairs. The sound seemed to be coming from very far away, so far that it had to be coming from the last ground.

He ignored the screams of his mother's portrait and sprung upstairs on the top speed. He almost collided with Regulus and Snape on the first landing and on the topmost landing they collided with Remus and Dora. Thankfully all of them, besides Dora, remained on their foot and when they looked into Harry's room they gasped. About six feet away from Harry's bed was standing Hermione, she was panting like she just ran a mile. In her right hand she had her wand, it was pointed at Harry's bed. On the bed, on Harry's unconscious body was lying an Erkling. How it got there Sirius had no idea.

Together they immediately tore past Hermione and reached Harry's side. His right leg was covered in blood and the amount of blood which gathered on the sheets was so enormous that Sirius was scared that Harry bleed to death.

Snape immediately cast screening charm and sighed in relief before he said, "He is alive. I can fix the wound but there will be a problem with blood. He lost too much to administer Blood Replenishing Potion safely. Does anyone of you have blood type 0 negative?"

"I do," Sirius and Regulus answered in unison.

"I will only need about a pint of your blood but first I will need to close the wound. Lupin get rid of the dirt," Snape barked out before he tapped Harry's leg with his wand. The wound had closed but the blood remained on Harry's leg and the sheets. "Black, sit down by his head and hold your left arm. Granger, go to the pantry, there is some Blood Replenishing Potion there and the potion for clearing the wounds, it's blue."

Sirius sat down next to Harry's head obediently as Hermione ran out of the room and Remus banished the creature. Snape quickly conjured two needles and some kind of rubber hose. Sirius didn't even flinched when the needle pierced his skin and he watched transfixed as Snape stabbed Harry with the other needle and the rubber hose connected their arms.

"I don't get it," Snape muttered finally.

"The Erkling?" Sirius asked grimly.

"He is 0 negative," Snape muttered. "Lily was AB positive."

"So was James," Remus muttered.

"Harry is 0 negative. He can't be 0 negative with two AB positive for parents. It's just impossible," Dora whispered.

"Sirius," Regulu said gently. "What was Mirzam's blood type?"

"0 negative," Sirius whispered. "Why you are asking?"

"I'll be back in a moment," Regulus whispered and he left the room hastily.

"Why he was asking about Mirzam Verascez, Sirius?" Remus asked gently.

Sirius said nothing. It was a very scary thought. If Dora was right then James and Lily couldn't possibly be Harry's parents. Harry was 0 negative, like him and Mirzam but… she was dead … no it wouldn't be possible, hence it would be unexplainable.

_Don't you even dare to think about it, idiot. Didn't it hurt enough first time around? You will get your hopes up for a moment only to have them smashed back into the ground._

"Blood Replenishing Potion and Wound Cleaner," Hermione gasped out and she handed the vials to Snape.

Regulus came back within ten second after her. He was caring familiar very small vial with silver shimmering potion. Sirius knew all too well what was inside the vial, Heritage Potion, his mother had him drinking it twice because she thought that someone had switched him in St Mungo's.

"Hermione parchment. Severus scoot," Regulus ordered as he put the potion on bedside table.

Regulus quickly pulled out a hair from Harry's head and then he reached over Harry and pulled out a hair from Sirius's head. At that Sirius hissed quietly. Regulus handed the potion to Snape and looked at him expectantly.

Snape uncorked the vial and smelt the potion before he muttered, "Fresh."

Regulus took the potion back and dropped Sirius' and Harry's hairs into the potion just as Hermione came to him with the piece of clean parchment. Regulus corked the vial back and shook the contest of it. After the hairs dissolved in the potion Regulus poured the contest of the vial on the parchment and glared at it stubbornly.

From his position on the bed Sirius could see how Remus, Dora, Hermione and Snape gathered around Regulus, their eyes, like Regulus' were fixed on the parchment. Suddenly Sirius heard four loud gasps, it seemed that only Regulus didn't gasped out.

Regulus looked at him above the parchment and smiled sympathetically before he mumbled as he passed the parchment to Sirius, "Me and my big mouth."

There. He had the proof, familiar greyish letters on the parchment:

_Mirzam Mira Verascez (13__th __February 1960) and Sirius Orion Black (23__rd__ November 1959), parents of Sadalsuud Sirius Black (31__st__ July 1980)._

It hit him with the force of a bludger, he had a son, his son and Merlin that god-awful name they picked out just to not refer to the kid as 'the alien'. Sadalsuud – happiness of the happy … they were happy … back then even with Voldemort hanging above their heads … And Mirzam, dear Merlin, Mirzam was alive, otherwise Heritage Potion would show the date of her death…

"Sirius," Regulus' voice snapped him out from his thought. "Sirius do you remember where Lily gave birth to Harry? When you came to visit her?"

"Lambeth's Hospital, here in London," Sirius replied pensively. "Thought that Muggle hospital was safer than St Mungo's with all these attacks," he added. "I came to them at 1st August, in the morning."

"So you didn't saw Harry until he was few hours old, right?" asked Regulus impatiently.

Sirius nodded slowly.

"Severus, Veritaserum if you will," Regulus turned to Snape.

"Don't you have Mensveritaserum on you?" Snape asked sarcastically.

"Unless you want to kill a muggle…" Regulus snorted. "Do you have it or not?"

"Yes, I have it," Snape muttered.

"You are coming with me," Regulus said.

"Where?" Snape asked.

"Lambeth's Hospital," Regulus replied quickly. "I bet you on anything that's where Mirzam gave birth to Sadalsuud and that's where someone switched the kids, there is no other explanation for this. Oh, and change into some muggle attire unless you want to look like muggle priest."

Snape rolled his eyes at that before he pointed at Harry.

"They will take care of him," Regulus replied bossily. "Hermione, watch Sirius closely and when you check that Harry got a pint of his blood feed both of them with Blood Replenishing Potion. Lupin, Dora, watch them too. Snape, with me."

If the situation wasn't as grave as it was Sirius would see Snape following Regulus obediently as a funny picture, but not this time.

* * *

They ended in a toilet at Lambeth's hospital in London and quickly located maternity ward. He visited maternity wards few times in his life, mostly greeting children of his colleagues from muggle school.

What he needed now, was an old muggle nurse, someone who had been around fifteen years ago when the boys were born.

"Whom we are looking for?" asked Snape sourly.

"Older nurse, one which seems like someone who had been here fifteen years ago," Regulus replied briskly.

"Like this one," Snape pointed at someone behind Regulus' back.

"How can I help you gentlemen?" asked the nurse, she looked like someone who had been there fifteen years ago.

"Yeah," Regulus mumbled. "This is Toby Verascez, fifteen years ago his sister gave a birth to baby boy here. I'm Reggie Black, kid's other uncle. My sister-in-law, poor dear had vanished without a trace shortly before giving birth to her son. We are looking for her and we heard that she gave birth to the boy here. Do you know someone who had welcomed the boy into the world?" he asked quickly.

"Come with me," the nurse motioned at them.

She lead them to nurse station, thankfully empty. Then she gestured at them to sit down as she wandered to the window and leaned against it.

"I was the one attending your sister Mr Verascez," she said slowly. "The birth was light but the child… it died within a hour. Your sister was grief stricken plus we suspected that she recently suffered some kind of amnesia. She only gave the name of the father and the name of the child but for the life of hers she couldn't recall more."

At that Regulus kicked Snape lightly on the ankle hoping that Snape understood that he wanted to give the nurse Veritaserum. Luckily the nurse turned around and Snape sized this chance to pour Veritaserum into the cup which was standing on the desk. Then he took the cup and handed it to the nurse who accepted it with a small smile.

They watched her like a pair of hawks as she took the first gulp.

"My poor sister," Snape said sadly and Regulus had to handle him that he was great actor. "How it had to hurt her," he sighed dramatically. "We also find out that a friend of ours had been giving birth to the baby boy at the same time here. Their names were Lily and James Potter, do you know what had happened to their son?"

"The Potters," sighed the nurse. "It was terrible case, terrible," she said sadly. "Very complicated birth and their son was so weak that he died within a hour. I just couldn't stand that thought that this awaited child had died when a druggie lonely girl had his son healthy and alive. I switched the kids before the doctors realised that it was Potter's kid who died. Of course the girl was grief stricken but it was better for the boy to live with normal family."

Regulus had a sudden urge to strangle the woman and judging by the look on Snape's face he wasn't the only one with this urge.

"So you switched Mirzam's son with the Potters and then you told her that her son died?" Regulus asked as calmly as he could.

"Yes," the nurse nodded.

"What was the address she left to you?" Regulus continued prodding.

"12 Poland Street, London. Flat number four," replied the nurse.

"Do you think that she still lives there?" Snape asked quickly.

"She does," said the voice from the doorway.

Regulus and Snape turned around to see a woman in her middle-thirties standing in the doorway. She had long, curly, jet-black hair pulled into a messy bun. Her face was heart-shaped, lips thin, eyebrows slanted at the ends. Her eyes were almond-shaped and violet in colour. The woman standing in front of them was unmistakeably Mirzam Verascez, supposedly deceased Sirius's girlfriend and mother of Harry.

"You told me that my baby had died, you fucking bitch. You had a nerve to console me and for all this years when I was coming here you were hiding the truth from me," Mirzam said icily but her eyes were filled with rage.

"Mirzam," Regulus said carefully as he stood up. "Your son is alive. We can take you to him."

She looked at him carefully, like she wasn't ready to fully believe what she heard.

"Sadie is alive?" she whispered weakly. "My little boy is really alive?"

"Yes," Regulus confirmed. "Sirius is with him now."

"Sirius? Is he mad… at me?" she asked weakly.

"He thought that you died," Regulus said carefully. "He just recently learned that you survived."

"He is with Sadie," she whispered.

"We will take you to them," Regulus reassured her.

"My car is outside. Can you drive?" she whispered.

He could drive a car, hadn't done it for ages but with riding car was like with riding a broom, once you learned how to do it you never forget.

"I will drive us," he said sympathetically as he approached her.

He guided her down to the parking lot, with Snape tailing behind them. Not even once Regulus looked in his direction but he knew the man too well to know that Snape was thinking very hard about new development.

To his relief Mirzam's Ford Fiesta Mk2 was something he knew how to drive, actually he owned one when he was living in Little Whinging disguised as a Muggle. He made Mirzam sit in the back of three door hatchback while Snape sat down next to him and looked at him questioningly.

"Don't worry," Regulus mumbled knowing that Snape was curious how Regulus was planning to get Mirzam into a house under Fidelius Charm.

It took them twenty minutes to reach Grimmauld Place, he parked the car in front of number eleven and turned around. From his pocked he fished out small piece of parchment, the address of headquarters he managed to nick from Hestia Jones when he saw her for the last time.

He handed the parchment to Mirzam and watched her confusion.

"What it means?" she asked nervously.

"You will see, get out from the car and let's get inside," he said quickly and gave her small smile.

He locked the car and lead her to the stairs in front of the house.

"There is no house…" she started but he cut her off.

"Think about what you read," he said quickly.

She had to do it because soon he saw her frightened expression as the house had to materialise in front of her.

"What was…" she started.

"Tell you inside," he reassured her and he quickly pulled her by her left arm to the house.

Snape locked the door behind them quickly before he wandered off in the direction of the stairs.

Mirzam grabbed Regulus's arm and held on it tightly.

"What was that? What it means?" she asked pleadingly.

"So you really don't remember anything?" Regulus sighed.

"I remember Sirius, his face and that we were together but I don't remember anything after I woke up in hospital in Bristol, four months pregnant without money, clothes, anything," she whispered and she shook her head.

"Do you remember this?" Regulus pulled out his wand from his pocket and showed it to her.

"It's a stick," she said simply.

"Oh Merlin," Regulus sighed. "That's the last thing we needed now, amnesia."

"What I forgot?" she asked weakly.

"Your life before whatever happened to you," Regulus smiled at her sadly.

* * *

After Hermione pulled out the needles from his and Harry's arms and administered Harry Blood Replenishing Potion Sirius started walking around the room in circles.

Mirzam was alive, Mirzam was alive. Oh, Merlin but what had happened to her that she didn't came back home. Months of sleepless nights which he spent at looking for her between his Auror duties and the tasks for the Order came back to him with a full force. Months full of despair, utmost fear, envy when he was looking at Harry wishing that everything which had happened didn't took place and that he could have his little family again.

Mirzam was alive. Alive. A. L. I. V. E. His little girl was alive and so was his son. If Harry, no Sadalsuud wasn't lying unconscious on the bed Sirius would run after Regulus and Snape to find her.

Suddenly the door to the room had opened and Snape walked inside. Sirius stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the man pleadingly, wishing to know once and for all if they found her.

"We found her," Snape said calmly and Sirius heard the gasps of relief coming from the other occupants of the room as his heart skipped a beat just to start beating furiously as if he just run a mile. "I didn't examined her but it seems that she is suffering from some kind of amnesia. Your brother," he said to Sirius, "is downstairs with her. You should go down to them."

He ran out of the room as fast as he could, on the ground floor he tripped on the carpet and almost landed face first on the ground. He quickly collected himself and ran to the kitchen.

He absentmindedly acknowledged Regulus's presence because his eyes fell on Mirzam. Mirzam, his little Mirzam who didn't looked a day older than when he saw her for the last time. Her hair were still long, curly and black as the raven's wings.

"Sirius," he heard Regulus's voice coming from afar.

That's when Mirzam turned her head in his direction. Her violet eyes meet his grey and before Sirius realised what he was doing he had her scoped in his arms, hugging her for dear life.

"I remember," she whispered suddenly, her voice was barely audible as if she was holding herself back from crying. "I remember now. The ambush. Your face… Oh, Merlin I remember. Magic. Aurors. Death Eaters. I remember. I'm so sorry. I left you."

"Shush," he whispered gently and he hugged her tighter. "You are here now. Sadie is here now. That's all what matters. No one will tear us apart again."

He meant it, from the bottom of his heart. Even if Voldemort by some kind of freaky occurrence showed up on the doorstep to the house Sirius felt that he could take the bastard out singlehandedly to protect his family. No one was going to tear them away. No one, not Voldemort, not Dumbledore, no one.

"Where is Sadie?" Mirzam asked weakly after long moment of silence. "Can I see him?"

He set her down, back on her feet and looked at her tear streaked face, he had to look no better than she did.

"Sadie was hurt, Mimi," he whispered. "Someone send an Erkling at him. You remember Erklings?" he asked cautiously and he sighed in relief when she nodded. "Speaking about. Reg, it has to be someone from the Order of the Phoenix, no one else could do it. Take care of it."

"We will take care of it in the evening. There should be a meeting of the whole Order knowing Dumbledore. I will leave you two now and see what can I do about you-know-what," Regulus said calmly as he passed through the kitchen and stopped right before the door as he added, "Good luck."

"How bad is it?" Mirzam asked gently.

"It was very bad," Sirius said with a sigh. "He lost lots of blood and he needed transfusion, that's how we found out that it was him. We all assumed that he was James's and Lily's son but he is 0 negative and if he was their son he should be AB positive, or A positive or B positive. He is 0 negative like you and I and that's when Reg came with Heritage Potion and Merlin…" he started babbling nervously.

Mirzam gave him small smile as she lied her right forefinger on his lips to stop his babble.

"How is he now?" she asked gently and she removed her finger.

"Better. From the attack, at least. Transfusion helped him, so did Blood Replenishing Potion. But there is something else we need to talk about, actually Reg will be the best person to explain it. But if you want to see him now I will take you upstairs," he said quickly.

He lead her to their son's room slowly, holding his arm firmly around Mirzam's shoulders. He didn't felt like letting her go. He was too scared that she might disappear again and this time no one would know where and how to find her.

* * *

Severus wasn't very happy when Dumbledore after hearing that Black kicked out the Weasley woman and her bunch of nuisances sent him to check upon the boy. Dumbledore believed Mrs Weasley suggestion that Black could hurt the boy and wanted to hide it by refusing anyone whom Black didn't trusted near the boy.

Severus however wasn't keen to agree with Dumbledore. Rash as he was Black had Potter's wellbeing at the front of his mind therefore if he removed the Weasleys from his house he really had good reasons for doing so. Personally Severus believed that the Weasley woman had done something to Potter and Black went into overprotective dogfather mode. But since Severus didn't planned wasting time on arguing with Dumbledore about this matter because Dumbledore would see Severus siding with Black as beginning of friendship and Severus wanted to spare himself Headmaster's tirade about unity.

He wasn't Black's friend, they were still enemies but Severus never breathed a word to anyone that whenever the subject of Potter's prophecy was mentioned he always found himself agreeing with Black's logic, Potter needed to be prepared for what he was facing, not kept in the dark. The lack of knowledge can lead into drastic situations. But since Severus was Dumbledore's man no matter if he wasn't in his heart and mind agreeing with Dumbledore he always stuck to Dumbledore's suggestion. Besides if he ever agreed with Black on certain subject the rest of the Order will start questioning his sanity.

Few hours later he found himself regretting that he ever stepped through the doorstep of that thrice damned house. Severus thought that one Black was enough of a nuisance at the meetings, two of them… Severus found himself pitting the Order and Dumbledore.

Sirius Black was rash, hot-headed, loud and bold to the boot, epitome of a Gryffindor. Regulus Black however was a different kind of case, from where he came and why he was hiding Severus didn't knew. But younger Black was everything his brother wasn't, the boy Severus remembered was calm, controlled, always polite but still snarky when he wanted, very bookish, smart, quick-witted and cunning, epitome of a Slytherin. Together they made scary, explosive combination, especially if Regulus's loyalty was lying not within Dumbledore or the Order or the Dark Lord but his brother. Regulus Black whom Severus knew now as Mufrid Lemeraude, Ancient Runes Professor was calm and controlled as his old self, still bookish, still quick-witted but never talked much, he never made friends with anyone though Severus saw that Regulus was particularly fond of Charity Burbage's presence, not that anything between this two had happened, in the castle full of ghost and portraits seeing your every move an affair between teachers wouldn't be unknown for a matter of one week. The fact that no one talked meant that nothing was going on.

Now Severus knew why Lemeraude was an enigma to the others, Regulus's knowledge of Dark Lord's Horcruxes made him withdraw from emotional attachment to anyone. Never Dumbledore's man he wasn't included in vital discussions but he knew enough about some things to piece of the pictures together or he had his own way of hearing things, some sort of a spy within Dumbledore's circle, not one of the teachers, but a house-elf perhaps.

The thought of Dumbledore being spied on made Severus uneasy. Dumbledore was still his mentor but what Regulus had said about Dumbledore being master of manipulations shook Severus to the very core. No Dumbledore wasn't evil, he was manipulative Severus could see it clearly now. And Merlin now everything Potter had been through made sense. Firstly Philosopher Stone, then Chamber of Secrets, Black was a nuisance of his own and therefore not part of Dumbledore's plan to shape a saviour of wizarding world, and lastly the Triwizard Tournament, if Dumbledore really wanted he could have put an end to it but he didn't.

Severus huddled himself in a corner of Potter's, no Black's – he was Black now, always was though he went under different name – bedroom and watched Black and his girlfriend sitting at the boy's side. Regulus was there too, he joined them quickly and right now was explaining everything to the girl.

Up until today he didn't give a damn about the boy, he protected him but only because of Lily. Now he was robbed even from this last link to his beloved Lily. The boy had never been her son, he was a Black and a bastard on that. A bastard which grew up under Lily's eyes because one bitch at the hospital switched the kids. If the world knew…

If the world knew that real Harry Potter was dead Lily didn't had to die, hence even Potter didn't had to die. If the Dark Lord had went after Black and Verascez…

_Then what Severus? If the Dark Lord had went after Black and Verascez and not after Lily and Potter because their child was dead then what? You begged Dark Lord to spare Lily's life, her sacrifice saved the boy and the world from Dark Lord's plans for fourteen years. No one was in love with Mirzam Verascez aside of Black, no one would plead for her life, if no one would plead for her life and the Dark Lord had killed her … then the Dark Lord would kill the boy and later he would go after the Longbottoms. In the end there was no saviour, no mother's sacrifice to stop the Dark Lord and even if by some sort of miracle it had happened and Sadalsuud – Merlin what an awful name – had lived where he could go? Verascez was an orphan with no living relatives at the time she gave birth to the boy, Black's family was even worse they would twist the boy in their wicked ways._

Maybe it was a blessing in disguise that the boys were switched. Maybe Lily's sacrifice was still there, that sacrifice which stopped the Dark Lord. Sacrifice … for the boy who wasn't her son.

Did she knew that the boy wasn't her son? Ever?

_He looks too much like Potter_. Lily was good with charms perhaps she realised that the children were switched somehow and decided to keep the boy. Very strong glamour could make the boy look like Potter's carbon copy and if not…

"Is he under glamour?" Severus asked aloud.

"No kind of glamour could last this long, Severus," answered Regulus grimly.

"But…" Severus started.

"My whole family had green eyes," said Verascez with a sigh. "The doctor said that Sadie was going to have green eyes too. He has my family hair too, Sirius's face though I see some traits of my family there."

"So it's his normal form, without glamour or anything like that?" asked Granger curiously.

"He still looks too much like Potter," Severus muttered from his corner.

"James's mother was a Black," Black said simply. "And James was his mother's carbon copy, except the eyes."

"So by some kind of genetic miracle Harry Potter and Sadalsuud Black were supposed to look like twins," said Granger thoughtfully.

"We may never know it, Hermione," said Verascez. "But genetically it is possible since Sirius and James were related and though my family was entirely muggle they possessed the same type of hair as James did. If I cut my hair short I would end with the same type of mane as Sadie did."

"What we are going to do about it?" asked Granger.

"The blood protection," Severus muttered.

"Can be a void," Regulus muttered grimly.

"No it can't be," Black shook his head. "Somehow no matter how Lily's protection is still there, he wouldn't escape the graveyard if it wasn't."

"I was talking about the Dursleys," Regulus sighed. "Unless Mirzam by some sort of miracle is Lily's cousin the blood protection at the Dursleys is a void. Lily's sacrifice is still working despite Petty Dursley not being his real aunt," he pointed at the boy. "Perhaps it's a matter of sacrifice itself, Lily died to save him and her protection is working but not depending on the blood wards at the Dursleys, because they are a void."

"That's how the Dementors got there," Granger muttered.

"No," Lupin shook his head. "He was attacked when he was outside the house. We don't have a proof that the wards are void."

"Actually we have," Regulus said pensively. "He was abused. If the wards were working properly it would will his 'family' to treat him decently. The ward which for sure is at the Dursleys is normal Harm Me Not Ward."

"Dumbledore," Severus whispered.

Betrayal. That was the only word which could describe his feelings now. He was betrayed by his mentor, by man he thought as a father. There were no wards. No wards.

"What we are going to do now?" asked Granger timidly.

"I have an idea," Regulus muttered grimly. "I think we should wake him up."

* * *

He was swimming in blissful blackness. It was good, it did not hurt. But suddenly the blackness started dissolving around him and slowly he realised that he was lying on a soft bed, under warm sheets and that there were people in this room. He didn't had his glasses so his vision was shitty but even then he managed to recognise seven shapes, sitting on his bed, standing behind the footboard. Someone slipped his glasses on and that's when he saw them all.

On his right was sitting Sirius and despite his still handsome face he looked like he just aged for about ten years. His grey eyes were full of worry and the gentle smile on his face when he saw that Harry woke up didn't reached his eyes.

Behind Sirius was standing Regulus, his wand was drawn out, but it was held gently in his long-fingered hands. His heir were still grey like it were last time Harry saw him, his dark-brown eyes were filled with worry just like Sirius's but they had certain warmness about them and when Regulus saw Harry looking at him he gave Harry gentle smile.

Two steps behind Regulus was standing Lupin who looked older than ever. Greying hair were falling into his kind light brown eyes and he was watching Harry intently.

On Lupin's right was standing Tonks. Her face was heart-shaped, hair short and spiky but they had a certain type of Lupin's colouring. Her eyes were light blue and she gave him gentle smile.

Next to Tonks was standing Hermione, her hair were wild, eyes red and there were tearstains on her face. Around her shoulders was draped an arm ended with long-fingered hand. Harry followed with his eyes that arm to its owner and was surprised to see Snape who looked like someone just told him that Lupin was supposed to come back to teach at Hogwarts. Snape's eyes were still dark but now they were betraying every emotion which the man might feel. There was anger, disappointment but the most surprising of all was betrayal.

Harry was so shocked in what he saw in Snape's eyes that he lead his own gaze slid from the man. It fell on a woman in her thirties. She had long, curly, jet-black hair pulled into a messy bun. Her face was heart-shaped, lips thin, eyebrows slanted at the ends. Her eyes were almond-shaped and violet in colour. She was holding his left hand just like Sirius was holding his right.

"Sadie," she whispered gently and her eyes filled with tears.

What? Sadie? He was Harry, he was sure that he was Harry.

"Here," Sirius said gently and he pressed a piece of parchment into his hand.

Harry brought the parchment closer to his face and read:

_Mirzam Mira Verascez (13__th __February 1960) and Sirius Orion Black (23__rd__ November 1959), parents of Sadalsuud Sirius Black (31__st__ July 1980)._

"What it means?" Harry whispered hoarsely.

"When you were asleep, under Morpheus Charm you were attacked by an Erkling. How it got there we have no idea, as for now," said Regulus tiredly. "The point is that you were severely bitten by it and you lost so much blood that using just Blood Replenishing Potion on you was highly dangerous. You needed a transfusion. Severus…"

"Cast screening charm," sighed Snape. "You needed blood, type 0 negative."

"I always had it," Harry shrugged.

"Lily Potter was AB positive," Snape whispered gently.

"So was James," Lupin added in the same gentle tone.

"Two AB positives would never give 0 negative," Hermione whispered and Snape's arm around her shoulders squeezed her tightly.

"B… Sirius and Regulus were 0 negative," Snape said softly. "After ensuring that transfusion was going on, Regulus used Heritage Potion with B… Sirius's and yours hair … you are holding the results."

Harry's eyes fell back on the parchment. Mirzam Verascez … Sirius Black … parents of Sadalsuud. Sadie … parents. Now it was clear as glass. Violet eyes. He had parents, mother and father … but wait … how … If he was Sirius's son then how it was possible that he was raised by the Potters.

"But how?" he mumbled.

"To cut long story short," Regulus said briskly. "After the attack in which she was taken away Mirzam suffered amnesia, she possessed no memory of her life. She gave birth to you in the same hospital as Lily Potter gave birth to her son who died within a hour after the birth. Unfortunately or fortunately, that's up to you to decided some crazed muggle bitch of a nurse decided to switch the kids, that's how you ended with the Potters."

"I thought you were dead. They told me that you died," the woman whispered. "When Regulus told me that you were alive…" her voice broke down.

"We brought her here and by some sort of miracle Mirzam's memories came back when she saw Sirius," Regulus explained.

"How long I was out?" Harry asked timidly.

"No longer than a day," Sirius sighed.

"What happened to the Weasleys? Don't take it wrong, it's good to see you all but I'm surprised that they aren't here," Harry mumbled nervously.

"I kicked them out," Sirius sighed heavily. "This morning. They can only set a foot in this house on Order meetings."

"Why?" Harry asked completely surprised.

"Because Molly's little secret plan stopped being a secret," said Regulus sarcastically. "I caught her red handed with a book about strong, undetectable love potions."

"Maybe she was just flipping through it," Harry said defensively.

"Damn right," Regulus snorted angrily. "Our aunts might have been gossipers of the century but you should know that Margaret, Molly's mother was splendid with Love Potions. She was just a pitiful witch with no dowry and absolutely no family name, a pureblood though. There were rumours that she married Robert Prewett because he was under strong influence of love potions and judging how mismatched they were and how dull Robert Prewett became after she married him this rumours were true. As for Molly, and Ginevra … like mother like daughter."

"He is right," Snape said lividly. "Look at yourself from their perceptive, kid. An unloved orphan, hero of wizarding world, friend of one of the kids, pureblood, huge inheritance. That itself is very tempting."

"Then surprise. He is also the only heir of another pureblood family, with more money that Arthur Weasley would ever made through all his life, a huge manor and the only obstacle there is an escaped convict who happens to be kid's guardian. How to get to it?" Regulus said sarcastically. "There it is, always worked. Love potions and if she tried to tamper with Sirius's authority do you imagine how easily you would fall into her petty plans?"

"No," Harry whispered. "They were always nice…"

"Because Molly had very good reasons to be nice to you," Regulus huffed angrily. "If you were an orphaned Muggle-born with no name in wizarding world she wouldn't have spared even a single glance on you!"

"They aren't all bad," Sirius cut in quickly. "It's just right now I trust Molly as far as I can throw her and that's not very far, same goes for her daughter. Bill and the twins have minds on their own and Bill suspects that something is wrong with Molly. I'm not sure about Arthur and Ron, I wasn't around them since I told them to leave. But I beg you to be careful around them."

"And you are going to be around them tonight," Regulus added grimly. "You and Hermione are going with all of us to the Order meeting."

"Why now?" Harry asked.

"Because I want to see the faces of them all when I tell them that Harry Potter is dead," Regulus smiled grimly.

* * *

**Awaiting criticism - like always. I'm replying as long as you leave me your email or you log in while reviewing. Bring my ego down ;)**

_That's exactly why I spent better part of last three weeks at not updating this story (aside from posting and updating Turning Over a New Leaf - story for Harmony and Sirius's fans, and writing bits and pieces of next chapter for The Blacks: Son of a Black I: Winds of Change - TONL should be updated as soon as by beta finishes fixing up my mistakes as for The Blacks ... well I need to finish next chapter before it will go to beta reader)._

_I was trying to decide for a longer while what was supposed to happen here and finally I decided to go for another Siriusitus (since we have Severitus why not call all 'Sirius is Harry's father' stories Siriusitus?). I know that Severitus has lots of fans (I happen to be one myself if they are written well) and numbers of Siriusitus are very low and I dare to say that no one wrote Siriusitus with spoilers for all seven books I decided to go with it. Plus whole Siriusitus is plotwise, if Harry alone could defeat Voldemort then how bad having someone who cares and worries for him can be._

_Severus. These who read The Blacks knowing my switches between Point of Views will ask 'Is Severus Orion's son? Is he the third Black brother?' The answer to this question is 'NO'. Why? Simply, Severus being Sirius's and Regulus's brother was one time creation, one time twist since I never saw a story where these three were put as brothers. Though Severus will be going through slow changes and hopefully by the end he will consider himself as Harry's (Sadalsuud's) second uncle. _

_Mirzam. I said it once I said it (insert the number of my stories where she appears) I'm very fond of my Original Characters thank you very much. Except Brother Brother where she had slightly different look, Mirzam hadn't changed even for a bit in my other stories. She has hers looks, has her pasts, has her attachement to Sirius. I see no need of creating bunch of different OC as Sirius's romantic involvement in my stories (out of pure laziness as well as my own sanity since following one is far more easier and comfortable than trying to trace six different women with different past). Plus in the moment when Heritage Potion had appeared I knew that giving Harry a father meant also giving Harry a mother and after everything which happened to him he needed a mother who cares just for him (hence the Weasley talks in last and this chapter - there will be more). Actually I can't wait for the confrontation between Molly and Mirzam (in next chapter)._

**Next chapter: **We will find out who was a meanie who sent an Erkling after Harry and how the Order is going to deal with new problem.


	4. Chapter 4: Hell's Kitchen

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or anything what you can recognize from the books. I do however own the plot of this story but I don't have profits because of it unless you count improving my English as a profit.

**Preview:** Order's meeting. We learn who tried to kill Harry. Regulus puts Dumbledore between a hammer and very hard place.

**So** **_read, enjoy and review (because I love to read your criticism and as long as you are logged in or I have your email I'm answering to your questions)._**

The poll is closed, I used three most popular names as Harry's new name - although I chose to use them in not the same order they appeared, for more explanations look below.

* * *

**Chapter four: Hell's Kitchen.**

"When is the meeting?" Harry asked quietly.

"In two hours," Regulus replied. "We will leave you and your parents now since you have a lot to catch up and we will oversee the dinner."

"What do you mean by we?" asked Snape ironically.

"Me, you, Hermione, Dora and Lupin. Unless you want to spend some time in the library?" Regulus asked simply.

"I will take the library, thank you very much," Snape muttered. "Granger may come with me."

"Pity I was hoping for famous spinach casserole tonight," Regulus shrugged.

Snape sent him a nasty glare before he pulled out surprised Hermione from the room. They were followed by Regulus, Lupin and Tonks and Harry was left alone in the room with his parents.

Parents. The reality was sinking in. He had parents. A mother and a father. People who cared for him.

"Why Sadalsuud?" he asked finally, not really knowing what he was supposed to say.

"Happiness of happy people," said the woman. "It was the only name I could give you, one of the few I remembered."

"That's how we used to call you," Sirius chuckled. "I found referring to a kid as 'alien' a bit impersonal and even if we considered Sadalsuud as tad too pompous name it described how we felt about having a child."

"I remember now that we were planning to give you different name after you were born but we didn't managed to agree on another name," the woman smiled at him gently.

"She wanted to call you Regulus," Sirius snickered.

"It was logical, you were supposed to be born at the end of July as a Leo and Regulus is the brightest star in Leo constellation. Sirius of course refused, told me that no son of his will be named after his Death Eater brother," the woman, Mirzam explained.

"And she refused Procyon right away," Sirius chuckled. "We toyed with Furud though. We were named after the brightest stars in Canis Maior constellation and it seemed fitting to name our son after another star from Canis Maior constellation."

"I like Sadalsuud more," Harry admitted. "Less embarrassing than Furud. Can you imagine the abbreviation of Furud?" he said with a smile.

"Fury or Furry Black," Mirzam giggled softly.

"And I thought that being called Son of a Bitch was bad," Sirius barked out with laugh.

"Thanks that you stuck with Sirius as my second name," Harry snickered.

"Keep snickering and I will change your second name to Omega," Sirius snorted.

"He is old enough to change his name if he wishes too," Mirzam said and she swatted Sirius's arm playfully.

"What will happen now?" Harry asked more seriously. "I know that you are here now, both of you but what about …" he paused. He couldn't name all questions he had.

What about the Horcrux in him? What about the other Horcruxes? What about his hearing? What about him leaving at the Dursleys? He had his parents now and he didn't had to go back there next year, had he?

"We will figure out everything," Sirius said gently. "You won't have to come back to the Dursleys though. Regulus found the way around the wards there. You will remain with us, that one I can promise," he paused and looked at Harry expectantly before he added, "How you want us to call you?"

"What other names you wanted to name me?" Harry asked curiously

"I wanted to be self-centred and give you Sirius for the first name," Sirius snickered. "But your mum said no and I knew better than to argue. I also thought about Orion, just to piss off my mother."

"I told him that giving naming a kid out of spite wouldn't do you any good so he stopped pressing," Mirzam giggled. "He was also pressing for Alrai for a longer while but I told him that no son of mine will be named after a dog."

"There was also Homam," Sirius said with a sigh. "Another self-centred name from me. It means lucky star of a hero."

"I think that it would suit you well if you prefer this one," Mirzam admitted. "You are a hero and you were born under lucky star."

"Considering how many times I was supposed to die and yet I'm still alive," Harry snickered. "I like it. What's pet name from this one?"

"Hommy," Sirius snickered.

"Sounds homey," Harry admitted with small smile. "What about the second name? Were there other names?"

"Here wasn't much of a choice, it was either Sirius or Azha, which is a different version of the name Sirius, and Orion," said Sirius. "Unless you have your own suggestions?"

"I like Homam Sirius Orion if you don't mind," Harry admitted.

"Then Homam Sirius Orion it is," Sirius smiled at him. "Are you feeling up to stand up? You were out for a day."

"I think that I can," Harry nodded

"I will prepare a bath for you, Hommy and after you are done we can talk some more," Mirzam said and she stood up with a smile.

She left the room quickly and the noise of running water coming from behind the door.

"How are you feeling Sirius?" Homam asked gently.

"Like running on high," Sirius admitted with a gentle smile. "Pretty worn off, since the morning I was up on adrenaline and initial shock is wearing off. I think that I would be sleeping like a log tonight. How are you feeling?"

"Not suicidal," Homam admitted. "I trust that Reg will come with something to get rid of Voldemort from me."

"He already found a substitute for now," Sirius sighed. "Though you might not like the teacher. Snape will teach you Occlumency, the art of closing your mind from intrusion. He is the best Occlumens around and in so far Regulus talked him into being civil to you, or so I heard. But if he is not, don't worry and tell us. I know that right now it is not very much but until we have a way to extract the Horcrux from you it might work."

"What about my guardianship?" asked Homam nervously. "My hearing? I'm supposed to go there as Harry James Potter. Wouldn't Ministry records recognise me as a Black."

"That's why you are going to be present at the meeting," Sirius said. "As manipulative as he is Dumbledore will find a way for everything. Don't worry about guardianship though, Mirzam despite being supposedly dead has clear records and she trained herself to lie under Veritaserum, not that the Ministry is aware of it. They prefer their Aurors irresistible to truth serums and once you learn how to lie under Veritaserum you can deceive all truth serums," he explained.

"Can you do that, dad?" Homam asked curiously.

"Unfortunately for me, yes," Sirius sighed heavily. "It's genetics, Homam. All men in Black family are more or less resistible to truth serums. It is a common knowledge in the Ministry, that's why I never got a trial, because even if I did I could lie under influence of Veritaserum."

"Is there a way to free you?" Homam asked gently. "Without Pettigrew?"

"There is one," said Mirzam gently. "I can lie under Veritaserum, I need a bit of retraining though but if I claim that Sirius was never Potters Secret Keeper there are bound to at least give Sirius a trial."

"Though I'm not sure that it is going to happen until Voldemort will show himself," Sirius muttered.

"There are pensieves, you can't tamper with the memories because even a slightest change of the memory is visible," she sighed and then she looked pensive before she whispered, "Of course why I didn't came with it sooner."

"Ravenclaw at work," Sirius chuckled.

"I'm going to need you to extract your memories from everything leading to Fidelius Charm till you were taken to Azkaban. Who is the Head of DMLE these days?" Mirzam said briskly.

"Amelia Bones," Sirius said quickly. "What you are going to do?"

"Send her a bottle of your memories of course," Mirzam said quickly.

"What about his own memories?" Homam asked curiously. "Will they remain in his head?"

"That's how it works, Hommy," Mirzam nodded. "You may extract the memory from your head but it still remains inside it as a shadow, a glimmer. You remember things from these memories but you can view them in the pensieve."

"I can't believe that I didn't came with it sooner," Sirius admitted tiredly.

"That's why you need me Sirius. Someone has to be a voice of reason in this relationship," Mirzam giggled. "Your bath is ready Hommy."

"What about your wand Mirzam?" Sirius asked suddenly.

"It's at my flat. I will ask Regulus to bring it around. I always thought that there was the reason I kept it around," she admitted.

"Keep your plan to ourselves Mimi. I fear that Dumbledore may want to tamper with it," Sirius said quickly.

* * *

At seven o'clock they were already down in the kitchen. The teens and Mirzam were wearing the cloaks with long hoods which were covering their faces. Hermione was seated between Remus and Dora. Sirius was sitting next to her and had Homam on his right. On Homam's other side was sitting Mirzam, next to whom was sitting Snape with Regulus on his right.

Shortly one by one the room filled with people. Firstly Hestia Jones and Emmeline Vance, they were followed quickly by Dedalus Diggle and Elphias Doge. After them there was short pause before Dung strolled in. After him came Sturgis Podmore, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Bill Weasley. They were followed by McGonagall who was followed by Arthur and Molly, apparently Bill and them came separately. Moody came as the last before Dumbledore and his magical eye stopped on Homam.

Sirius managed to send Moody a nasty glare before Dumbledore walked in.

"I see new people around," said Dumbledore cheerfully as he sat down. "Can I have your names?"

"Mirzam Verascez," Mirzam said calmly and she lowered her hood.

"And these two?" asked Dumbledore.

"All in good time," Mirzam said sternly. "Professor Lemeraude wishes to discuss a certain matter before we introduce other two. Professor," she turned to Regulus.

Regulus stood up and went to stand behind his chair. He leaned his hands on it and he said in grave voice, "I'm afraid that Severus and I have very bad news to pass to you my dear friends."

Snape pointedly started examining his shoes under the table as if he was avoiding Dumbledore's gaze.

"This afternoon Harry Potter was brutally murdered," Regulus finished and he hung his head. "My friends. Let's have a toast to Harry Potter."

There were gasps all around the table and these involved in the plan of finding out the bastard, or bitch, who sent an Erkling after Harry gasped too. Thankfully all goblets except their own goblets were filled with Veritaserum which Snape generously applied to each goblet besides their own.

Everybody downed the contest of their goblets. The kids managed to do it without pulling down their hoods.

"What had happened?" asked Dumbledore after they set their goblets aside.

"He was killed by a Lethifold," Snape muttered more to his shoes than to the others though his voice was heard by anyone.

"They are lying. It wasn't a Lethifold, it was an Erkling and he can't be dead, in worst case severely injured," Molly gasped out.

"Knowing something the rest don't know, aren't you Molly?" asked Regulus lividly. "Did you send that Erkling?"

Mrs Weasley turned red as tomato before she sputtered, "I was only trying to prove that no good can come with that poor child staying with that deranged criminal."

"So you decided to kill the kid just to prove your point?" Snape snorted. "Why I'm feeling like at Death Eaters meetings?"

"What makes you feel like that?" asked Mirzam politely.

"That whole backstabbing thing," Snape shrugged. "All what is missing now is a round of Cruciatus Curse and voila a Death Eaters meeting."

"I have another question, Professor," Regulus said quickly. "I want to know if our dear traitor intended to use love potions on Harry Potter to let her daughter marry him and get his money. Molly?"

"Harry and Ginny would be great couple. They would be like his parents," said Molly simply.

"Did you used love potions on Harry before?" asked Sirius lividly.

"During Easter in his fourth year," Molly sputtered. "After all that reports about that Mudblood…"

Molly didn't managed to finish because six different curses hit her at once. She slipped on her chair and would fell under the table if Arthur didn't caught her. Sirius only managed to spot Mirzam's quickly conjured birds attacking Molly's face as his own Finger-removing Jinx hit her. He recognised Densaugo as Hermione's spell and Harry's Relashio. Red, inflamed eyes were probably Regulus's doing, he was very fond of using Conjuctivis Curse at school. The spell which left a bleeding gash across Molly's face probably belonged to Snape. Together they made very scary result. Bloodied, red-faced from Concjuctivis and Relashio, with spots of small beaks from Oppungo combined with conjured birds which disappeared in the moment they hit her face and teeth which were reaching the table Molly looked terrible.

"If you insist on using this word you worthless hag you can as well ask me to bring you to the Dark Lord to serve him," Snape snarled angrily.

"If you will ever use this word again in this house," Sirius growled and he draft himself to his full high, "You will be hexed into next millennium and I don't give a damn that you are supposed to be a member of the Order. If what you did won't exclude you already. No one will use this word in my house!"

"I would be carefully if I were you, traitor," Mirzam hissed. "Some of these you call Mudbloods can turn you into canned meat with a simple flick of their wands. For once, if I heard this word coming from your mouth again I won't hesitate to do it."

"If the likes of her are our best people then I'm coming back to Voldemort's services," Regulus snorted.

"Wait for me," Snape snorted. "Someone has to make sure that you won't be killed on the spot."

"Fix her now," Arthur demanded angrily.

"No," Mirzam growled. "She should have knew better before she opened her damned mouth to say this word with two Muggle-borns in the room."

"Then at least stop the bleeding!" Arthur demanded.

"Sorry but we used all dittany on the kid," Snape snorted. "Run out, she will have to wait till the meeting ends, assuming that you have some dittany at home."

"Severus!" Dumbledore said warningly.

"You can check the pantry by yourself Headmaster," Snape shrugged.

"Severus!" Dumbledore repeated more sternly.

"Sorry but I'm having an amnesia and I forgot the counter curse," Snape muttered.

At that Dumbledore sighed in defeat and he himself deflected all the curses which hit Molly though Sirius observed with grim satisfaction that the spots of small beaks remained and the cut on Molly's face was still visible.

"This will leave a scar," Snape muttered to his goblet. "By the way Conjuctivis and Finger-removing. Well done."

"If she was a man I would use Genitals-removing Jinx," Sirius snorted. "Never failed me before."

"Where is Harry's body?" Dumbledore asked sternly when he seated himself back in his chair.

"No idea," Sirius admitted. "Mirzam where did you buried him?"

Mirzam looked pensive before she sighed, "Verascez family vault in Canterbury. They told me that the tomb was too cramped so I had to cremate him and put him in an urn."

At that everybody stared at her in shock.

"If he died today…" Shacklebolt started.

"… there was no way that you managed to bury him in a matter of few hours," finished Sturgis Podmore.

"Of course not," Mirzam shrugged. "Whole funeral needed eight days to take place and since I was doing everything on my own I know better."

"Now stop kidding and tell me where is Harry's body. I want to see it!" Dumbledore demanded.

"As I said before, it's in Verascez family vault in Canterbury. Do I have to repeat it under Veritaserum even if my answer would be still the same?" she asked politely.

"You might," Snape muttered. "Seems that they aren't going to believe you until you do."

"Mum, dad, can I take off the hood because they are going to spend the rest of the night quarrelling whenever you are lying or not?" Homam asked politely.

"You both can," said Mirzam quickly.

Homam and Hermione lowered their hoods at the same time and all around they were heard gasps.

"I told you to stop kidding!" Dumbledore growled. "I can see that Harry is perfectly fine so I don't see why you had to attack Molly like that."

"The hag was under Veritaserum, Headmaster. In fact all of you are," Snape snorted and he motioned his left hand at the rest of the Order. "And I'm with Verascez on this one, Dumbledore, Harry James Potter is dead. In fact," he paused there to take a breath, "he had been dead for last fifteen years."

"Impossible, Snape," growled Mad-Eye Moody. "The kid is sitting here with us, everybody can see him."

"Do you happen to keep Heritage Potion around, Black?" Snape turned to Sirius.

At that Regulus summoned another bottle of Heritage Potion and handed it to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore uncorked it and smelt before he said, "Fresh."

The bottle was returned to Regulus who went to stay behind Homam's chair. Gently he pulled one hair from Homam then he moved his free hand through Mirzam's hair and pulled her hair before he pulled Sirius's head and put all three in the vial. He corked it back and shook it violently.

"Clear parchment," Regulus said finally as he sat down on his chair.

A sheet of clear parchment had been handed to him and he poured the contest of the vial on it. After the potion sunk into the parchment he raised it above his head. It read:

_Mirzam Mira Verascez (13th February 1960) and Sirius Orion Black (23rd November 1959), parents of Homam Sirius __Orion Black (31st July 1980)._

"NO!" Molly screamed. "It's impossible! They cheated!"

"Something had went not according to the plan?" Regulus asked sarcastically. "My, my, you are having a big problem, Molly."

"Heritage Potion is one of the potions you can't tamper with, imbecile. Everything it shows is true," Snape commented.

"But how?" asked Hestia Jones.

"Well you can thank Molly," Regulus snorted. "If it wasn't for hers Erkling we would never discover the truth. The amount of blood Homam had lost was so big that applying Blood Replenishing Potion alone was very dangerous therefore Homam required transfusion of blood type 0 negative. Thankfully Sirius is 0 negative. But then to our attention had come one simple fact… Severus."

"Lily Potter's blood type was AB positive. So was James Potter's blood type and if any of you studied properties of human blood you would know that two AB positive will never give 0 negative. It's biologically impossible. Therefore it lead to simple conclusion, the boy known as Harry James Potter was never the son of Lily and James Potter. Heritage Potion proved that the conclusion was right and that the boy known as Harry James Potter was in fact Homam Sirius Orion Black, son of Sirius Black and Mirzam Verascez, two 0 negatives which gave one 0 negative," Snape explained lividly.

"The protection at the Dursleys …" started Dumbledore.

"Oh, yes that's another matter which needs to be discussed, Headmaster," Regulus said ironically, the word Headmaster was spat with disgust. "I'm very curious how long you were planning to hide that the wards on the Dursleys were void from the start."

"You don't have an evidence, Lemeraude," Dumbledore said.

"I do, very strong one," Regulus snorted. "First off, the only ward on the Dursleys household is typical Harm Me Not Ward, meant for outsiders. If so called blood protection on the Dursleys was working then Muggle authorities wouldn't visit the Dursleys three times in a span of two years. What is more curious said authorities possessed no memories from their previous visits at Dursleys household, it would seem that they had their memories modified," Regulus said innocently.

"You have no proof," Dumbledore said defensively.

"I do," Regulus smiled grimly. "You obliviated Muggle authorities but you never obliviated the source of the calls. Harry's math teacher from primary school."

"Martin Green was killed in a car crash," Dumbledore said quickly.

"Supposedly," Regulus snorted. "Did you saw his body?" he asked curiously.

"No, the car was burned down completely," Dumbledore shook his head.

"My alter egos have weird tendency of dying but no one saw their bodies," Regulus snorted. "Take Martin Green for example when I knew that I needed another alter ego poor Martin died in a car crash. Or Regulus Black, proclaimed as dead but since there was no body to bury who checked?"

"Who the hell you are?" growled Moody.

"Professor Mufrid Lemeraude alias Martin Green alias Regulus Black," Regulus chuckled. "I'm here to tell you that you are wasting your time at guarding the prophecy. Whenever Voldemort hears it to the end or not it won't change anything. Changing our plans however will."

"Dumbledore is the leader of the Order of the Phoenix, not you, his word matters more, Death Eater," Moody snorted.

"But his word won't get rid of Voldemort," Regulus snorted sarcastically. "You have a choice, you can either babysit prophecy orb or do something which will lead to the final destruction of one Tom Marvolo Riddle. Personally I would prefer the later but if I have to do it on my own I won't be complaining."

"What do you mean?" Dumbledore asked cautiously.

"What do you think?" Regulus asked ironically. "The key word is the diary. You and I know very well what it really was."

"It's a hazard guess, my boy," Dumbledore sighed. "I was never one hundred percent sure."

"But you thought about it," Regulus pointed out. "You thought exactly what I was thinking about the school year 1992/93. We both know where lies the problem but I have one thing over you, I know what we need and at times I knew where to look. You have a part of information I need and I have piece of information you need. Together we can change something, alone we will only kill each other."

"How many you think had been made?" Dumbledore asked pensively.

"Seven," Regulus replied grimly. "Two already destroyed. Three hidden deeply. And the final two are the most complicated because we are talking about the living if you get what I mean."

"I see that you already chose a course of action," Dumbledore sighed. "Was it really wise to do it?"

"Wiser than keeping everything in dark," Regulus said ironically. "Lack of knowledge makes us like lambs awaiting the slaughter. Knowledge gives us freedom of a choice."

"Even if choosing and not choosing means the same?" Dumbledore asked tiredly.

"Is there a difference between being dragged into the arena to face battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high?" Regulus asked bluntly.

"It makes all difference in the world," Homam whispered and Sirius grasped his hand tightly.

"He is just a child!" Molly snarled.

"He was never a child!" Regulus barked at her. "Shut your fucking mouth because you don't know what he had been through! No one of you does!" he snarled at the rest. "That alone should grant him the ability of making a choice what he can do with his life and it's his life we are discussing here!"

"Don't talk to me like that!" Molly growled.

"I will talk to you every freaking way I want, you stupid hag! Don't forget that you are in a house of Black and you are only a guest. I'm only surprised that it took Sirius so long to kick you out but your actions hit the final nerve and now you have no fucking right to open your mouth! If it wasn't for Sirius, Snape and Hermione, Homam would be dead and you will be faced with a murder. Tell me is lifetime in Azkaban that attractive to you?" Regulus snarled with such a fury that everybody around the table cringed. Mrs Weasley tried to open her mouth but Regulus growled angrily, "Silence!" Then he turned to Dumbledore and added, "I'm not working with the likes of her. If you want my help Molly Weasley is going to leave the Order of the Phoenix and her husband and son are banned from passing any information to her."

"I doubt that they will manage to pass something to her when she is going to rot in Azkaban for fifteen years for attempted murder," Mirzam growled. "That's the penalty for attempted murder Weasley and the lowest one on that. I'm good Auror and I can talk Wizengamot into the highest penalty without a problem. A lifetime in Azkaban in top security cell with two Dementors guarding your door but don't worry you won't even last a year…" she hissed lividly.

"I would be surprised if she lasts even six months," Regulu snorted. "Likes of her are dying within five months."

"And their deaths aren't pretty," Sirius muttered grimly. "Firstly they go mad from guilt, they crave their own skin, they consume it as well as their own excrement. They are dying in weeks worth agony."

It was farfetched story though he once heard a rumour about one man who died like that but he knew that Dumbledore wouldn't send Molly to Azkaban and scaring her shitless was the only thing he could do to her.

"We are on the crossroads Dumbledore," said Regulus grimly. "Your actions now will determine everything and if you chose the way which I won't find as good one then I'm afraid that our ways are going to part, right now. I won't be going alone, I want you to know that."

"I will be going with him," Sirius said firmly. "And if I leave you will be in need for another Headquarters.

"So will I," Mirzam said solemnly.

"And I," Remus said quietly.

"Me too," Dora admitted.

"I will go with him," said Hermione firmly.

"As will I," Homam added.

There was a very long pause and when Dumbledore opened his mouth to say something Snape said loudly, "So will I."

"Severus," Dumbledore whispered.

"Don't," Snape growled. "Just don't."

"I will go with them as well," McGonagall said suddenly, her voice was clear and her tone was firm.

"Me too," said Shacklebolt.

"And I," Hestia Jones and Emmeline Vance said at the same time.

"I'm with them," added Sturgis Podmore.

"I swore to fight against You-Know-Who. I'm with them," added Dedalus Diggle.

"I will go too," Bill admitted suddenly. "And Charlie will go with me," he added as his eyes and Sirius's connected over the table.

"So, Dumbledore. What's the way you chose?" Regulus asked ironically.

"You don't understand the importance of the prophecy…" Dumbledore started.

"I think I do," Regulus said grimly. "If that's your choice then I'm afraid that our ways will have to part. These who are going to help me are asked to remain behind, these who are going to keep interrupting should leave. Right about now, before Sirius will key you out from the wards and I assure you that it won't be pleasant."

Dung immediately stood up from his chair. Elphias Doge stood up slowly. Moody snorted but he remained in his place. Arthur hesitated but he stood up nevertheless. Molly remained firmly in her chair.

"Bring disapparating ward down, Sirius," Regulus asked quietly. "You have one minute," he said to these who chose to remain with Dumbledore. "If you don't disappear on your own the wards will blast you out from the house after that minute. You too Molly, you might chose to stay behind but I won't let you."

Dung disapparated immediately. Elphias Doge looked at Dumbledore pleadingly but when Dumbledore shook his head sadly he disapparated too. He was followed by Arthur and Dumbledore. Molly remained firmly in her place.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Bye Molly," Regulus muttered and when the wards went up again Molly was blasted from her chair.

"Will she be all right?" Bill asked quietly.

"Depends on what she will land," Regulus admitted. "The wards are keyed to blast intruders back to their homes. I know that it must be hard, William but I appreciate your choice. Moody?"

"I'm probably going mad but if Snape is following you and not Dumbledore then you truly find a way to bring the fucker down," Moody admitted with a grunt. "Though I would appreciate Albus's presence."

"He made his own choice," Regulus sighed. "Thanks to all who stayed behind. Especially you," he lied his hand on Snape's shoulder.

"I'm bound by higher loyalty and you know it," Snape admitted. "Though I hope that you had found a way to keep my presence away from our main problem."

"If he asks you, the Order of the Phoenix is still intact, there was no riff and the prophecy is still babysat," Regulus said simply.

Snape nodded without a word.

"I will need you to keep an eye on Niagini. Watch her habits, how often she leaves his side and if the possibility of killing her will present itself to you, you know what to do as long as killing her won't put your life in danger," Regulus added more seriously. "Knowing Tom's want to get the prophecy while he will try his best to keep a low profile for as long as possible I know that he will try to get to it, possibly through his snake. I need someone with a good arm who won't hesitate to kill that creature. Our world depends on it."

"Granted but can you stop giving veiled replies and get to the point Black?" asked Moody.

Regulus sighed and leaned his chin on his hands before he started explaining the problem with Horcruxes. He told them almost everything, save Homam's problem. Finally when he finished they all looked speechless.

"So we are practically doomed from the start," whispered Sturgis.

"How can you be sure that Ravenclaw's diadem is a Horcrux? It has been missing for ages," said McGonagall sceptically.

"You forget whose son I'm," Regulus pointed out. "I have an upper hand on Dumbledore. I know that the diadem was in Albania at some point of time, Helena Ravenclaw stolen it and the diadem was left there for ages. I assume that at some point of time Tom had moved it from Albania to the place he considered safe."

"Is it possible that he moved it to Hogwarts?" asked Homam suddenly.

"That's the part of information I'm missing, Homam," Regulus sighed. "I need a proof that Tom was at Hogwarts after he graduated. Even a smallest hint would work for me."

"He was," McGonagall shuddered. "He tried to apply for Defence Against the Dark Arts position but Dumbledore refused him straight away … ever since then there wasn't a teacher on this post who lasted more than a year."

"So the position is indeed cursed," Remus muttered. "What Dumbledore was thinking?"

"When he hired you as a professor?" Regulus snickered. "Well he had few options, firstly Severus will kill you, secondly Sirius will kill you, thirdly something else will kill you, fourthly you will kill yourself."

"If it will help you professor, you were the only one who get away unscratched," Homam said sympathetically.

"That's comforting as hell," Remus snorted.

"So what we are doing now?" asked Dedalus.

"I say let's get drunk because for today I ran out of the ideas," Regulus muttered. "I'm coming back to Hogwarts for the night and I'm going to look for that infernal diadem."

"When you will come back?" Sirius asked quickly.

"Day after tomorrow, in the early morning," Regulus replied. "Plus I need to figure out how to get to Hufflepuff's Cup, which without doubt is in Bellatrix possession."

"What we are going to do?" asked Hestia.

"Lie low. We will discuss everything again after we know the outcome of Homam's trial," Regulus sighed.

"I will watch the prophecy," Moody offered.

"Be careful," Regulus said quietly.

* * *

**Awaiting criticism - like always. I'm replying as long as you leave me your email or you log in while reviewing. Bring my ego down ;)**

_Painfully short chapter, I know but it seemed apropriate place to end it since we are going to deal with different problem in next chapter._

_Harry's new names. The results of the poll (three topmost) were Orion - 9 votes, Sirius - 4 votes, Homam - also 4 votes. I chose to name Harry, Homam instead of Orion for one good reason, there is a very popular story going around where Harry as Sirius's son is named Orion and since I'm not a fan of plagarism I decided to stick to the name which I already used in my other story. But as you see all three most popular names were taken into account since Harry's new name is Homam Sirius Orion Black. I hope that everybody likes it, if not, I can always edit._

**Next chapter:** Mirzam sets the plan in motion and some people are faced with very uncomfortable truths. Homam and Sirius, feeling that Mirzam got herself into troubles come for the rescue and the results turn the world upside down.


	5. Chapter 5: Turn of the Tides

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or anything what you can recognize from the books. I do however own the plot of this story but I don't have profits because of it unless you count improving my English as a profit.

**Preview:** Mirzam sets the plan in motion and some people are faced with very uncomfortable truths. Homam and Sirius, feeling that Mirzam got herself into troubles come for the rescue and the results turn the world upside down.

**So** **_read, enjoy and review (because I love to read your criticism and as long as you are logged in or I have your email I'm answering to your questions)._**

* * *

**Chapter five: Turn of the Tides.**

The night was still young when young woman in her middle thirties turned the corner of Horse Guard's Avenue. Despite the warmth of the night she was draped into a big coat which looked more like a cloak than a coat. Her violet eyes were hidden under the shadow of the hood but from under the hood long, curly jet-black hair were cascading down her shoulders.

She stopped in front of the door with number 3 on the plaque and knocked loudly three times. After two minutes the door opened just a bit but were stopped by the length of five inches long chain. Through the hole for a moment was pouring dimed light from the hallway before broad, square-jawed woman with very short gray hair, thick eyebrows and a monocle stepped into the view.

"In vino veritas," whispered younger woman quickly.

"Then let's use Vinoveritaserum," answered older woman after long pause. "Mirzam Mira Verascez."

"Amelia Susan Bones," nodded younger woman.

"Come in my dear," said the older woman and she closed the door for a moment and opened them again to let the younger woman inside.

When younger woman stepped into the light of the hallway she lowered her hood and the older woman could see her face. Once young and beautiful woman looked older beyond her thirty-five years with the slight lines on her face and her slimy figure. Once bright violet eyes were dull and more resembled dark blue than violet.

"Mirzam my child, what the world had done to you," whispered older woman. "We thought that you had died."

"And in a way I did, Madam Bones," said younger woman with a tired sigh. "I lost fifteen years of my life after that ambush. I lost my son's childhood and happiness with my fiancé. I just gained them back."

"I wasn't aware that you were engaged," said older woman, Amelia Bones with surprise evident in her voice and she showed younger woman to the living-room.

The bottle was opened and the dark liquid swirled in the glass as one full glass was handed to younger woman who seated herself on the couch.

"Oak mead," chuckled younger woman.

"You always had good taste, my girl," Amelia Bones gave the girl small smile as she sat down in an armchair opposite to her. "But what really brought you here my dear. I know that recovering from amnesia is something your superior should be notified but…" she hung her voice prompting younger woman to talk.

"What is our oath Madam Bones?" asked the woman quickly.

"Innocent until proven guilty, till then under the care of the law, not condemned by it," answered Amelia.

"Are you in possession of a pensive, Madam? I remember that you used to have one and you allowed us to use it from time to time," asked younger woman gently.

"I still have it," Amelia Bones confirmed.

"Does Ministry still uses the pensieves on the trials?" younger woman asked quickly.

"Not all of them, the big ones though," answered Amelia.

Younger woman sighed visibly.

"Now Mirzam, my dear tell me where you are leading our conversation, it's late and if I remember correctly you just regained your family back," said Amelia quickly.

"I'm here for my family, Madam Bones," Mirzam whispered gently and then she added in much more clearer voice, "You know that the memories can't be tamper with, even a slightest change will create a visible rift and no amount of magic can't change a real memory?"

"I'm aware of it," Amelia nodded.

"I have memories for you to watch, I saw them myself but I need your advice before I will decide on the next course of actions," Mirzam said surly.

"Whose memories they are?" Amelia asked curiously.

"They are memories of an innocent man," Mirzam whispered.

Older woman nodded and she stood up from her armchair and went to small table in the corner of the room and prompted Mirzam to join her. Mirzam pulled out big vial from her cloak and she handed it to Amelia.

"Coming?" Amelia asked.

"I already saw them," Mirzam shook her head. "Take your time, Madam Bones."

Mirzam watched as older woman vanished in the pensive and she settled herself on the couch.

She had a lot of time, three hours at least and she busied herself with reading the daily prophet.

Only five minutes had passed before the flames in the fireplace turned green and a portly little man with rumbled grey hair in bottle green suit and lime green bowler hat in his left hand stepped out from the fireplace.

"Amelia?" called the older man.

"Madam Bones is watching a memory in her pensive, Minister Fudge," Mirzam answered calmly and she pointed at the stone basin in the corner.

"Then I will came back some other time, Ms?" said Fudge nervously.

"Verascez. Mirzam Verascez, Minister Fudge," Mirzam said calmly. "And I think that you should watch this memories with her, Minister, they put a new light on a very old case, the one which will give you the fame and will establish your position in wizarding world," she gave older man gentle smile.

Fudge seemed to waver for a moment but he approached the pensive nevertheless. As soon as he took the dive Mirzam couldn't resist a snort. She just killed two birds with one stone.

Three hours later both of them emerged from the pensive looked equally shocked.

"You can't tamper with the memories without it being seen," Fudge was muttering to himself.

"How did you obtained this memories, Mirzam?" Amelia Bones asked weakly.

"I asked for them and they were given to me," Mirzam replied simply.

"All of them?" Fudge mumbled and he fell in the closest armchair. "Merlin what we are going to do?" he groaned and put his head in his hand.

"You viewed them all?" Mirzam asked curiously and gained two nods in return. "What was the last memory?"

"Dementors' attack on Mr Potter," said Amelia weakly and she seated herself in an armchair next to Fudge. "Of course the pensive will be present at his hearing at 12th August, with evidence like this we are bound to clear him."

"What have I done?" Fudge mumbled to himself. "What I'm going to do?"

"There are several ways to deal with this situation," Mirzam said calmly. "The first one is do nothing like to this point. The other is to keep general public uninformed but strengthen our defences, You-Know-Who right now is lying low, keeping low profile and current situation is more than adequate for him for reasons I will explain later. Then there is the last way, one could argue that the right one, announcing come back of You-Know-Who right away, as soon as possible but as right as it is it's not wise way to follow, at least for now."

"Care to explain Ms Verascez?" asked Fudge.

"If you announce You-Know-Who's come back right away you will thrust wizarding world into fully fledged war and we are all unprepared for this war. Doing nothing isn't going to work either, we are going to end like a dinner on open plate for You-Know-Who. The wisest, in my humble opinion will be acknowledging his come back and strengthening our defences and when we are prepared admitting his come back and the fact that we are prepared," Mirzam explained.

"It's quite logical way," Amelia agreed. "Telling right away will cause panic. But why You-Know-Who is lying low?"

"Because there is one object he desires to have," Mirzam explained. "The prophecy concerning the Chosen One and himself, he wants to hear it out to the very end. Ignorance of the Ministry is working in his favour."

"So he will attack the Ministry," Fudge groaned.

"I doubt that he will do it right away," Mirzam shook her head. "As I said before our ignorance is working in his favour. The longer his comeback remains hidden the better for him."

"Why your approach is different than Dumbledore's, girl?" Fudge asked heavily.

"Because Dumbledore is a Gryffindor and I'm a Ravenclaw. Gryffindors act before they think and Ravenclaws think before they act. Your denial of You-Know-Who's comeback created a riff, Dumbledore is called a madman and he was stripped from his privileges, not many will believe him now but you can buy this time to advantaging over You-Know-Who. If bringing up our defences is made wise of course," Mirzam explained.

"What about Black?" asked Fudge. "What do you expect us to do?"

"Give him back what is rightfully his," Mirzam stated calmly.

"What?" Fudge mumbled.

"His innocence, his freedom, the right to marry the mother of his son and bringing up said son. You saw the memories, Pettigrew was the Secret Keeper of the Potters, Pettigrew killed these Muggles," Mirzam said fiercely.

"But Black is an unregistered Animagus," Fudge mumbled.

"And correct me if I'm wrong isn't the penalty for being an unregistered Animagus, ten years in Azkaban?" Mirzam asked pointedly.

"He preserved his sentence," Amelia huffed. "And if he is cleared…" she looked expectantly at Mirzam.

"If he is cleared then by 1st September you are having two Aurors back, Sirius and myself," Mirzam stated calmly.

"Why by 1st September?" mumbled Fudge.

"We just got our son back and we want to spent remaining time of the summer with him. We were separated for fifteen years and I think it is our right to ask for this time together," Mirzam said quickly.

"I doubt that we would manage to build strong resistance in three weeks anyway," sighed Fudge. "Two months probably, three weeks definitely not."

Suddenly the door burst open and two dressed in black figures fell into the room. One was a tall man with long messy jet-black hair and grey eyes and the other one was slightly smaller man with short unruly hair and green eyes.

"Gryffindors act before they think and Ravenclaws think before they act," Mirzam snickered. "My dear boys."

* * *

After Mirzam had left Sirius had given her an hour to go to Madam Bones, leave the memories on her doorstep, knock on the door and come back home. The hour had passed since then, Moony, Dora and Hermione had long gone to sleep but Sirius and Homam remained vigil because Mirzam still didn't came back.

Another hour spent at constant glances at the clock had passed before Sirius's mind started supplying him images of dead or severely injured Mirzam. For Merlin's sake he didn't got her back just to lose her again.

"I'm going to look after her," he told Homam.

"If you are leaving then I'm leaving with you," Homam said quickly.

"It's too dangerous," Sirius argued.

"Right, especially for an Animagus who happens to be a dog and an escaped convict. If you won't end killed on the spot then you might end in a pond. I'm going with you and it is final, she is your fiancée but she is also my mother. I didn't got you two back just to lose you again," Homam huffed angrily.

"Homam," Sirius said calmly.

"I'm going and that's final," Homam huffed. "Even if you bind me to something I will scream so loud that I will wake up the damned house and you won't get far away."

"I can put Silencing Charm on you," Sirius pointed out. "Or stun you."

"Bloody likely with Kreacher," Homam muttered. "I'm going with you."

"Fine then," Sirius sighed. "On your own head if Mirzam gets mad at you for leaving."

"Gryffindor," Homam snorted in amusement.

They grabbed their wands and Sirius quickly transfigured their clothes into black ones, to blend with the background. It took them an hour to reach Horse Guard's Avenue, if he went by himself Sirius would be there sooner since Padfoot could run far more faster than Homam but Sirius had to keep in mind to not lose him son because if he did Mirzam would be furious.

Through the windows Sirius could see the light coming from one of the rooms but he couldn't see anything.

Sirius grabbed Homam's hand and kept him behind himself as his right hand turned the knob and they were forcefully pulled inside the house, the crashed into the door of what he assumed was a living-room.

On one of the armchairs' was seated Fudge looking more miserable than one ever could, the next one was occupied by the woman, who as Sirius assumed was Madam Bones. On the couch was sitting Mirzam and when she saw them she smiled and said with small snicker.

"Gryffindors act before they think and Ravenclaws think before they act. My dear boys."

"Very loyal," Madam Bones chuckled. "But that was expected."

"Indeed," Mirzam nodded. "You couldn't have waited for me to come back."

"You were supposed to come back in a matter of a hour," Sirius said defensively. "You got us worried sick."

"I know and I'm sorry. But I consider that it was worth it, wasn't it, Minister?" Mirzam gave them small, sheepish smile before she turned to Fudge.

"Of course," Fudge seemed to snap from his miserable state and he stood up.

Sirius tightened his hold on his wand and he pushed Homam behind his back.

"There is nothing to worry about, Mr Black. Your fiancée explained your case, yours as well Homam. I'm sorry that I didn't believed you but now that I know the truth everything is going to change," Fudge said solemnly.

Sirius looked at Mirzam questioningly for a second and she smiled at him once again.

"Your memories will be taken to account on both trials, myself and Amelia will see to that," Fudge added. "Aside from a certain memory of yours, young Mr Black. I will ask for it in due time but not until we will prepare ourselves for the coming war. Causing panic without being prepared won't work in our favour."

"So you acknowledged that I was telling the truth?" asked Homam boldly.

"Yes," Fudge nodded solemnly. "I also know that you used Patronus Charm for yours and your cousin's safety. Your trial together with your memories will clear you from all charges. As for you Mr Black, your memories will be taken to be examined by the Mind Healers in St Mungo, to confirm that they are real…"

"Keep my involvement out of this, Minister," Mirzam said quickly. "To your knowledge Madam Bones had found the bottle with the memories on her doorstep."

"Surely…" Fudge started.

"Surely if something goes wrong I will be hailed as second most wanted person in United Kingdom and frankly, Minister, the one person in the family is more than enough for us," Mirzam pointed out. "There is also small fact of me being officially dead in Ministry records so until I'm declared as alive and both mentally and physically healthy you will get hailed as a mad man seeing dead people running around and I doubt that it's something you wish to happen."

"I think that you had come with already prepared plan, Ms Verascez. Care to explain it to the end," said Fudge curiously.

"Of course," Mirzam nodded.

"Sirius, Homam, please sit down," Madam Bones said and she motioned at the couch.

Sirius sat obediently next to Mirzam and he pulled Homam to sit next to him.

"As I said before You-Know-Who wants to get his hands at the Prophecy concerning himself and the Chosen One and that's something we should not allow to happen," said Mirzam firmly.

"What you are proposing, Ms Verascez?" asked Fudge.

"On the day of his trial Homam will come to the Ministry, I will be accompanying him, both as a mother and his defender. After the trial ends we will get through a private lift to Department of the Mysteries, one of yours most trusted Unspeakables will let us in, the Department aside from that person will be deserted. I will confound that person to leave us alone for a moment and Homam will take the real prophecy with himself and I will replace it with plain crystal ball," Mirzam explained. "The real prophecy will be heard by Homam from the beginning to the very end and as soon as we will come back home it will be destroyed so no one will hear of it ever again."

"But the possibility of the attack…" Fudge started.

"You-Know-Who wants to keep a low profile for as long as possible. I have no doubt that he will try to lure someone into Ministry of Magic but him coming there himself is declaring an open war and that's not what he wants," Mirzam shook her head. "Simply strengthening the wards in Department of Mysteries will work."

"That's very good idea, Cornelius," Madam Bones agreed with Mirzam. "This way we will remove the threat of You-Know-Who finding out what exactly prophecy says."

"When you intend to get yourself checked into St Mungo for the tests?" asked Fudge.

"Tomorrow morning, I hope that by noon I will be declared clean," Mirzam answered.

"I'm sure that you are familiar with Pablo, Ms Verascez?" asked Fudge. "I will be eating lunch there at one o'clock, if you are cleared by then you are welcomed to join me and I will give you information about Mr Black's status."

"Fine by me," Mirzam nodded.

"If not then I will send you an owl," Fudge added.

"Anything addressed to Homam Black will reach us," Mirzam said.

"It's time to call it night," Madam Bones said. "But not before young Mr Black will extract his memories from his father's memories. We will ask you to show us the memory of you using Patronus Charm at the trial and as Cornelius said when the time will come we will ask you for the other memory."

Homam looked at Mirzam expectantly.

"Just go to the pensive and concentrate on the memories you are extracting while you are touching the liquid with the tip of your wand," Mirzam gave him small smile.

Homam nodded and he went to do what he was told to.

"Why Homam is facing a trial and not a hearing?" Sirius asked curiously.

"Everything already had been set in motion, Mr Black. Days ago, I can't take it back right now without raising suspicions but with the evidence we saw your son will be cleared," Fudge explained. "Will you keep the memories of Mr Black safe till tomorrow, Amelia?"

"Certainly. We are going to need all able hands we can get and don't forget that we are talking about the best pair of Aurors of their generation," Madam Bones said briskly. "For now we have to part but I hope to see all three of you in the near future. Have a good night, Ms Verascez, Messer Black."

"And good night to you to, Minister, Madam Bones," Sirius nodded.

"Goodnight," Homam added timidly.

The walk back home was a quick and quiet one since Sirius was walking in his Animagi form and it was preventing him from scolding Mirzam for not warning him beforehand about her plan.

"That was brilliant, mum," Homam whispered as they entered the hall.

"That was rash and dangerous," Sirius huffed.

"I'm big girl Sirius, I know how to take care of myself though I'm not sorry for not telling you about my plan but you wouldn't let me out from the house if you knew the truth," Mirzam gave him a sheepish smile.

"Of course I will, if Fudge didn't believed you, you could have ended in Azkaban," Sirius huffed. "And you tell me that I'm rash."

"I wasn't rash," Mirzam shook her head. "I decided that advantages were more important than consequences. Right now we have Fudge admitting that Voldemort is back which is more than Dumbledore managed to do in last few weeks."

"Speaking about Dumbledore, why he didn't pushed for Fudge to see my memory of Voldemort's rebirth right away?" Homam mumbled.

"I think that I have an idea," Mirzam muttered. "But I don't have a proof. You need to watch yourself around him, Homam. I'm worried that everything which had happened to you in some way might be tied to our dear Headmaster and I'm not liking that though."

"You think that Dumbledore was manipulating me?" Homam asked grimly.

"That would explain everything," Mirzam sighed. "Philosopher Stone, Chamber of Secrets, last year's disaster with Triwizard Tournament. Hommy you really need to pay attention during the Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape."

* * *

Just as Mirzam Verascez left 12 Grimmauld Place to talk with Madam Bones Severus Snape found himself in his own quarters with a glass of Firewhiksey in his hand and pensive Regulus Black seated in a chair on the opposite side of the desk.

"I want you to let me into next meeting with the Dark Lord," Regulus said finally.

Severus chocked on his Firewhiskey and went into coughing fit.

"I'm serious," Regulus sighed. "There is something which needs to be done and I'm not having killing Niagini in mind."

"What do you mean?" Severus asked when he regained the control of his own body.

"I want to scare him shitless, Severus," Regulus shrugged. "And I know how to do it, I just need someone to let me into the meeting and from there I will be fine on my own."

"I won't let you go," Severus shook his head quickly. "You are the only one with knowledge here, if something happens to you …" Severus hung his voice, he didn't wanted to admit that he cared for someone other than himself.

"Trust me, I will be fine. I'm still caring the mark of the Dark Lord but because my magic had died for a moment I'm not able to answer the summons. I need your help Severus, I really do," Regulus said fiercely.

"How you are going to protect your hide during the meeting?" Severus asked quickly.

"Are you familiar with the Shadow of Uralis Spell?" Regulus asked curiously.

"I'm familiar but even my extensive knowledge in Dark Arts didn't allowed me mastering that spell," Severus shook his head.

"But mine did," Regulus whispered. "I rarely use it but sometimes it is the only way to know things which aren't meant for my ears."

"I will take you, but if something happens to you…" Severus muttered.

"Then it will be my own fault," Regulus finished.

* * *

**Awaiting criticism - like always. I'm replying as long as you leave me your email or you log in while reviewing. Bring my ego down ;)**


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